Cole Spire here sitting in my own private theater with my empty bowl of popcorn and lukewarm soda-pop. I am here to talk to you about the two movies I had the ... privilege to watch. *coughs* My producers told me I had to say that.
I would like to say I am a movie buff, I mean I have seen more movies than probably anyone and I love and hate each one. Each genre has its good and bad points and I like to think i can see the subtle humor in even the darkest of comedies.
With that being said, my first review comes from "Observe and Report." I know, not the newest of movies, but that's ok. This movie stars Seth Rogan and Anna Faris. More or less it stars Seth Rogan with Anna Faris and Ray Leotta doing extended cameos. The fact that a comedy star like Rogan chose to do this movie makes me think he is having the "Oscar Bug" biting him.
Now don't get me wrong, this movie was in NO WAY even the slightest bit close to Oscar material. In fact I think it could be on line for the worst comedy of all time, but I digress. Rogan gives us an over exaggerated performance as a bi-polar suffering Head of Mall security. Yelling and cursing abound in this Dark comedy. Which I understand the term Dark means it is more twisted than actually funny, but even in most dark comedies there are times where you are laughing out loud. (i.e. The Cable Guy).
A blatant and unwarranted montage of perversion and drug abuse is extended as filler to reveal one of the two "criminals" of this mall cop comedy. The other criminal is a flasher which in an ending chase montage is shown with his trench wide open and running. Male nudity ahoy!
On top of the fact that there is flagrant use of the "F'Bomb" for no other reason than to say it as much as possible.
The fact that this was turned into an actual big screen production and not a direct to DVD release amazes me. There is nothing in this movie that has any redeeming value. Rogan gives a half-hearted over the top performance that has lack-luster feeling behind it that left me feeling like I lost brain cells while I was watching it. I had a guest watch with me and I actually felt compelled to apologize that She had to watch this tripe with me.
So for my ruling I give the movie: Observe and Report a 1 out of 5.
*deep sigh* I feel much better. Now, on to my second movie.
The tale of Scrooge and Dicken's Christmas Carol has been done and re-done hundreds of times. Muppets, musicals, even done with a TV exec played by Bill Murray. But in this latest installment We see the idea taken in a whole new turn.
Matthew McConaughey plays a man named Connor Mead in "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past."
It also stars Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Brecken Meyer.
In this instance McConaughey continues to play the "bad boy" as he has in so many other romantic comedies. But like always he does it so smoothly that women find themselves drooling over him even when he is blatantly being a jerk. Men on the other hand are taking notes to see if this kind of jerkishness can actually work in the real world.
The comedy is no where near over the top at the beginning of this movie. It is played very smartly and the build to the "Ghosts" appearance at the end of the first act is drawn out just enough to make you sit on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.
The ghosts in this adaptation are as follows: Jacob Marley is replaced by "Uncle Wayne", the Ghost of Christmas Past becomes Mead's First 16 year old romantic encounter, The Ghost of Christmas Present is his personal Assistant, and the Ghost of Christmas Future is a knock out blond that like all ghost of the future, speaks not a single word.
Like Scrooge, Mead is taken back through his past, where in this film, he visits all the girlfriends he left behind, including his first and only Love Jenny Perotti (Garner). You see him get his heart broken as a Teen, and get VERY bad advice from his playboy uncle.
In one of the funnier scenes, Uncle Wayne appears to seemingly taunt Mead by opening an umbrella and it begins to rain. Mead is then told that "These are all the tears that women have shed for you Dutch" and then goes to say that these are all the chocolates you sent as appologies and of course nothing happens. Then Uncle Wayne smirks and says "These are all the condom's you used" where as Mead dives into his car and things can be heard thudding against the vehicle.
There is a heartwarming ending to this romantic comedy and it is definitely worth a view. It won't win McConaughey an Oscar but it will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling deep in the cockles of your heart.
My ruling for: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a 4 out of 5.
Thank you for joining me for this, and I hope you enjoyed out time together today. Because it seems to be getting harder to sit back and just enjoy the finer things in life, well until next time. Ta-ta.
Colespire666 Community Member 
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