I'm actually blogging about 12 hours after getting out of the movie, a new record for me.
Taste In My Mouth:
It was good, not great. I don't know whether I just don't do comedies or what, but this was one of my preferred comedies, but I still wasn't crazy it. I love Steve Carell, he is comedic brilliance, but his bits can't cover up the plot. Not that the plot was terrible, I just have high standards, presumably. Paul Rudd was also good, but this is my warning: he is getting awfully close to turning into the same character in all of his movies. If you want a laugh then you will like this movie, but if comedy isn't your thing then its not a must-see. Maybe just a movie you can Redbox later.
Ingredients:
The actors all do a good job, but the characters that are played are all very stereotypical. I'm really hoping that someday soon, we can get a comedy that is more original. Zach Galifianakis again plays a super strange character in a movie, he's going to start getting typecast soon, but true to his "type", its a strange typecasting. He definitely is not the same role, but it seems whenever a director needs someone to play a super weird role, they pick him. Another part that is intriguing is the so called "mouseterpieces", you've seen one in the trailer but the movie features them extensively and it is very very impressive. You definitely should google them if you don't see the movie.
Award-Winning Recipe?
Not sure, as I'm relatively young in the movie review business. If anybody Steve Carell could get a few nods. The Hangover really opened the door for some of the less glamourous characters. The mouse set pieces really are impressive, I could see them winning if there is a category where they fit, again I'm new at this.
Bites:
3 Bites. If you are in the mood, then you can enjoy, otherwise its a toss-up.
-MJM
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Theatre Morsel(Blue Man Group)
My promised but long overdue BMG review.
Taste In My Mouth:
Its like one of those weird things that you see people eating from afar, you're skeptical, but when you actually get the opportunity to try on, you absolutely love it. I always thought BMG would be cool, but I had no idea how entertaining three, silent, blue men could be. It was simply fun. The environment at the Astor Place Theater is so intimate and the show is so interactive that you can't help but fall for its charm and entertainment.
Ingredients:
Well, there are three blue men, a backup band, and various stage crew. The stage crew comes and films various activities to always give the audience a good view, the backup band glows in the dark and prevents any lulls and the blue men. I mean, its hard to tell or describe them with out ruining it. So in an effort to keep their magic alive, I will say nothing more then they were spectacular and left the audience feeling the oppopsite of 'blue'.
Award-Winning Recipe?
How does a completely unique compete with shows that are all similar? It would win every time.
Bites:
4.18 Bites. A completely unique yet wonderful flavor is left in your mouth.
-MJM
Taste In My Mouth:
Its like one of those weird things that you see people eating from afar, you're skeptical, but when you actually get the opportunity to try on, you absolutely love it. I always thought BMG would be cool, but I had no idea how entertaining three, silent, blue men could be. It was simply fun. The environment at the Astor Place Theater is so intimate and the show is so interactive that you can't help but fall for its charm and entertainment.
Ingredients:
Well, there are three blue men, a backup band, and various stage crew. The stage crew comes and films various activities to always give the audience a good view, the backup band glows in the dark and prevents any lulls and the blue men. I mean, its hard to tell or describe them with out ruining it. So in an effort to keep their magic alive, I will say nothing more then they were spectacular and left the audience feeling the oppopsite of 'blue'.
Award-Winning Recipe?
How does a completely unique compete with shows that are all similar? It would win every time.
Bites:
4.18 Bites. A completely unique yet wonderful flavor is left in your mouth.
-MJM
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Movie Morsel(Robin Hood)
Another successful Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe collaboration
Taste In My Mouth:
It was an enjoyable movie, but warning/spoiler alert, this is not your idyllic, childhood Robin Hood story. Yes, all the characters are the same, and the story outline is basically the same, this rendition isn't. From my "insider" knowledge, I know that the creative team behind the film did a lot of research to ensure that this film was as close to the original "stories" as possible. That is what makes this movie storyline different from the classic Disney version, though the characters and scenarios remain the same.
Ingredients:
Russell Crowe is very good in this movie, as has come to be accepted. There is an aspect of believability about every different role he plays, very blue collar. He appears in his choice of roles, as well as his portrayal, as an every-man. Cate Blanchett does well, though I found her somewhat annoying, but I haven't yet decided whether that is her acting or her lack of acting well. Newcomer Marc Streitenfeld did a very good job on the score. His score does not follow the normal boring mold of so many action films these days, his music had heart.
Award-Winning Recipe?
Don't count on any of the big awards falling in this direction, but some smaller more "artsy" awards could foreseeably come to Sherwood Forest.
Bites:
3.675 Bites, it was enjoyable but not terrific
-MJM
Taste In My Mouth:
It was an enjoyable movie, but warning/spoiler alert, this is not your idyllic, childhood Robin Hood story. Yes, all the characters are the same, and the story outline is basically the same, this rendition isn't. From my "insider" knowledge, I know that the creative team behind the film did a lot of research to ensure that this film was as close to the original "stories" as possible. That is what makes this movie storyline different from the classic Disney version, though the characters and scenarios remain the same.
Ingredients:
Russell Crowe is very good in this movie, as has come to be accepted. There is an aspect of believability about every different role he plays, very blue collar. He appears in his choice of roles, as well as his portrayal, as an every-man. Cate Blanchett does well, though I found her somewhat annoying, but I haven't yet decided whether that is her acting or her lack of acting well. Newcomer Marc Streitenfeld did a very good job on the score. His score does not follow the normal boring mold of so many action films these days, his music had heart.
Award-Winning Recipe?
Don't count on any of the big awards falling in this direction, but some smaller more "artsy" awards could foreseeably come to Sherwood Forest.
Bites:
3.675 Bites, it was enjoyable but not terrific
-MJM
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Theatre Morsel(Phantom of the Opera)
It is the definition of a classic Broadway experience.
Taste in My Mouth:
Wonderful. Delicious. Mouth-watering. It really was a great time, from the moment you walk into the theatre, you get excited. The environment created at the Majestic Theatre is perfect as the setting for this musical. I have heard concerns that, “opera is not really their thing” and as I understand and respect their opinion, it really does not give the show justice. Yes, it is operatic in nature. But, for any musically inclined person (even the opera haters) it is not hard to appreciate the excellence that these actors display on a nightly basis.
Ingredients:
The theatre as previously mentioned was beautiful. I sat in box seats for the first time and though “partially obscured seating” was warned, it did not affect my viewing much at all, and the best part was the extra leg room that was provided by the movable chairs (an especially important feature for someone of my stature). The leads were amazing, and gave life to their respective performances. The makeup was lacking, especially so on the Phantom. It looked like it was caked on there and, so as to prevent spoilers, if the Phantom were to theoretically have his mask removed the makeup underneath would probably be considered pathetic. But really that is the one blemish on the show’s record; ironically, a little makeup could have solved the problem, rather than a lot. The music was wonderful as ever and obviously has been stuck in my head.
Award-Winning Recipe?
Obviously it was, and is still incredible to this day. If these long-lived shows were allowed to still compete, they would likely still win as they continue to get great top-of-the-line actors.
Bites:
4.5 Bites. If you only had one meal in NYC, you should bite down on this classic.
Come back tomorrow to learn of Blue Man Group, That’s All I Ask Of You
-MJM
Taste in My Mouth:
Wonderful. Delicious. Mouth-watering. It really was a great time, from the moment you walk into the theatre, you get excited. The environment created at the Majestic Theatre is perfect as the setting for this musical. I have heard concerns that, “opera is not really their thing” and as I understand and respect their opinion, it really does not give the show justice. Yes, it is operatic in nature. But, for any musically inclined person (even the opera haters) it is not hard to appreciate the excellence that these actors display on a nightly basis.
Ingredients:
The theatre as previously mentioned was beautiful. I sat in box seats for the first time and though “partially obscured seating” was warned, it did not affect my viewing much at all, and the best part was the extra leg room that was provided by the movable chairs (an especially important feature for someone of my stature). The leads were amazing, and gave life to their respective performances. The makeup was lacking, especially so on the Phantom. It looked like it was caked on there and, so as to prevent spoilers, if the Phantom were to theoretically have his mask removed the makeup underneath would probably be considered pathetic. But really that is the one blemish on the show’s record; ironically, a little makeup could have solved the problem, rather than a lot. The music was wonderful as ever and obviously has been stuck in my head.
Award-Winning Recipe?
Obviously it was, and is still incredible to this day. If these long-lived shows were allowed to still compete, they would likely still win as they continue to get great top-of-the-line actors.
Bites:
4.5 Bites. If you only had one meal in NYC, you should bite down on this classic.
Come back tomorrow to learn of Blue Man Group, That’s All I Ask Of You
-MJM
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Movie Morsel(Knight and Day)
This format is a work in progress, please be merciful in your judgments.
Taste In My Mouth:
Overall, it was a tasty experience. I saw this movie the past weekend, and it made for a very enjoyable evening. I usually am not a big Tom Cruise fan, I personally felt he hit the top of his career in Top Gun, and he hasn’t seemed to have found himself another role that is quite as “him”. In Knight and Day, I believe he found another role for him and overall, it was a good movie-going experience. It was an action flick and was pretty jam packed with different sequences and stunts, nothing epic but good.
Ingredients:
Both Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise play very stereotypical characters and the plotline lacks much imagination. But what breaks this movie out of the almost certain-stereotypical mold, is the chemistry between the two actors. Now I had heard that this movie was better than it looked, and it was proved correct. The two have quick banter that is enjoyable, and conversations/scenes that were anticipated or cheesy were fun to watch.
Award-Winning Recipe?
No, not the type of movie or performances that earns awards.
Bites:
3.5 Bites. Great to snack on, but not filling enough for a meal.
Should I write more/less/the same? Let me know.
-MJM
Taste In My Mouth:
Overall, it was a tasty experience. I saw this movie the past weekend, and it made for a very enjoyable evening. I usually am not a big Tom Cruise fan, I personally felt he hit the top of his career in Top Gun, and he hasn’t seemed to have found himself another role that is quite as “him”. In Knight and Day, I believe he found another role for him and overall, it was a good movie-going experience. It was an action flick and was pretty jam packed with different sequences and stunts, nothing epic but good.
Ingredients:
Both Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise play very stereotypical characters and the plotline lacks much imagination. But what breaks this movie out of the almost certain-stereotypical mold, is the chemistry between the two actors. Now I had heard that this movie was better than it looked, and it was proved correct. The two have quick banter that is enjoyable, and conversations/scenes that were anticipated or cheesy were fun to watch.
Award-Winning Recipe?
No, not the type of movie or performances that earns awards.
Bites:
3.5 Bites. Great to snack on, but not filling enough for a meal.
Should I write more/less/the same? Let me know.
-MJM
Monday, July 12, 2010
Morsel Format
Well I was preparing to write my first movie review since my hiatus and decided a refreshing, new format was in store for my readers.
We're going to separate it into three categories. First, the Taste In My Mouth section, in this section I'll outline my overall impression of the media morsel. This will be a broad overview with a focus on enjoyability. Next, the Ingredients section, this wil be a more detailed look at individual segments that make up the film (actors, directors, score, etc.), whatever sticks out to me will be relayed on to all of you. Next, the Award-Winning Recipe section, this seems somewhat self-explanatory but is my prediction on whether the film or any of its components could be eligible for any of the major awards. Finally, is the Bites section, I will give a rating on a scale of zero to five bites according to how good the media morsel is the more bites, the more you should savor the experience. Also, knowing me, there will probably be many anecdotal things about eating and the like.
Get ready for the fun to begin
-MJM
We're going to separate it into three categories. First, the Taste In My Mouth section, in this section I'll outline my overall impression of the media morsel. This will be a broad overview with a focus on enjoyability. Next, the Ingredients section, this wil be a more detailed look at individual segments that make up the film (actors, directors, score, etc.), whatever sticks out to me will be relayed on to all of you. Next, the Award-Winning Recipe section, this seems somewhat self-explanatory but is my prediction on whether the film or any of its components could be eligible for any of the major awards. Finally, is the Bites section, I will give a rating on a scale of zero to five bites according to how good the media morsel is the more bites, the more you should savor the experience. Also, knowing me, there will probably be many anecdotal things about eating and the like.
Get ready for the fun to begin
-MJM
Friday, July 9, 2010
Movie Morsel (PICs)
So let us resume our media morsels with a look at PIC (Partners in Crime). Let me explain the concept to those of you who don’t see where I’m going. Often times there are actors who become friends and team up with someone behind the camera (usually directors or producers) and they make several movies together. Today, I’m going to outline some of the ones that come to mind and share my perspective of their collaboration.
Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott- it’s hard to complain about this pairing. I, admittedly, had some doubt about the Robin Hood movie, but it was misplaced. This is just a recent combination boasting just two movies (Gladiator and Robin Hood), but both are spectacular. I hardly imagine that there is not more to come (Robin Hood sequel?).
Nicolas Cage and Jerry Bruckheimer- I’m trying to be unbiased here. They have made several very financially successful movies. I am just not a big fan of Nicolas Cage; he just rubs me the wrong way. So yeah, that’s a partnership that has existed successfully and continues to thrive.
Harrison Ford and George Lucas- I’m trying to be unbiased here as well, only for the opposite reason. For the record, I love both of these people and all elements of their collaboration. They have been very successful both critically and at the box office, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they crank one more out before it’s all said and done.
I’ll probably do a similar post with other collaborations in the future, but I’ll just leave you these three to mill over during this weekend and maybe you can enjoy one of their popular movies this weekend.
See you on Monday
-MJM
Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott- it’s hard to complain about this pairing. I, admittedly, had some doubt about the Robin Hood movie, but it was misplaced. This is just a recent combination boasting just two movies (Gladiator and Robin Hood), but both are spectacular. I hardly imagine that there is not more to come (Robin Hood sequel?).
Nicolas Cage and Jerry Bruckheimer- I’m trying to be unbiased here. They have made several very financially successful movies. I am just not a big fan of Nicolas Cage; he just rubs me the wrong way. So yeah, that’s a partnership that has existed successfully and continues to thrive.
Harrison Ford and George Lucas- I’m trying to be unbiased here as well, only for the opposite reason. For the record, I love both of these people and all elements of their collaboration. They have been very successful both critically and at the box office, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they crank one more out before it’s all said and done.
I’ll probably do a similar post with other collaborations in the future, but I’ll just leave you these three to mill over during this weekend and maybe you can enjoy one of their popular movies this weekend.
See you on Monday
-MJM
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