Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002)

What makes reviewing a film like this difficult is how subjective humor is. Suffice it to say that if you find “stupid” humor to be funny, along the lines of Kentucky Fried Movie or Harold and Kumar, then there's a very good chance that this film will make you laugh your way into a coma. Fans of Woody Allen's What's Up, Tiger Lily? may also want to check this out. Likewise, if you are a fan of illegal substances, boy have I got a film for you! Yet on the other hand, if humor has to make sense to illicit a laugh from you, if amusement only comes from broad setups and well-timed punchlines, if films have to actually be good in order to be funny, then you're more likely to turn this film off 10 minutes in and wonder about the mental state of anyone caught with this in their DVD collection. This is a stupid movie. A very, very stupid movie. But if you're in tune with its offerings of poor re-edits and re-dubs of an bad kung-fu flick from the 70s, you'll be hard pressed not to laugh yourself sore.

8 out of 10.

Arrested Development (TV Series 2003 - 2006)

Rightfully hailed as one of the best and most under appreciated sitcoms of the decade, Arrested Development is, like Firefly before it, yet another brilliant show canceled by Fox. At least this one made it three seasons before the ax fell. To be fair, it's the kind of show that takes a few tries to really sink its hooks into you, and the sense of humor on display is a bit off the mainstream, but anyone with a taste for strong, ensemble-driven storylines featuring some brutally funny banter and situations owes it to themselves to see this show. The program follows the Bluths, an extraordinarily dysfunctional family whose land developer patron is unexpectedly carted off to federal prison leaving the youngest son in charge of the company and his family's finances. In-fighting ensues. It isn't your standard sitcom by any stretch, but the show succeeds brilliantly with its near-constant barrage of smart, deadpan laughs, hysterically awkward moments, and longterm setups. The setups deserve special mention in particular, as some situations presented as early as the second episode don't see a payoff until entire seasons later, and every one of them is an absolute home run—it's extremely rewarding for those who stick with it. Similarly, the cast is completely perfect for the material in every way possible, including a raft of surprising cameos in fantastically weird places. It's simple: if you are a fan of smart comedy with exceptional timing and acting, don't mind a little awkward with your hilarious, and aren't prone to walk away from something if it doesn't entertain you in the first few seconds, you owe it to yourself to see this. It really was one of the best shows in the last decade.

10 out of 10.

Observe and Report (2009)

Anyone going into this film expecting yet another Seth Rogen raunchy comedy is in for a rude awakening. Likewise, anyone going in for the more sick and twisted side of the film will also be left wanting. You have to wonder exactly what kind of film writer-director Jody Hill set out to make. It starts out innocent enough for the genre, as Seth Rogen's foulmouthed, bipolar, gun-obsessed rent-a-cop decides to make to make it his mission to track down a serial flasher terrorizing a shopping mall. But instead of leaving things at surface-level shenanigans and predictable laughs, it instead dives further and further down the rabbit hole of Rogen's self-delusion. Except the comedy gives way to an uneasy and unsure drama and by the end the whole thing is just creepy. It evolves from 40-Year-Old Virgin into Taxi Driver. There's no denying that it's a brave decision but the end result is extraordinarily uneven, featuring left-field joke setups that don't fit into the drama, and dramatic choices that don't work with the comedy. The real shame of it is that Rogen does show some decent acting chops here. In the hands of a more certain director with a more balanced script, this film could have explored some genuinely interesting places, but what's on hand is unfortunately just as choppy as it's lead's mental state.

5 out of 10.

Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)

So that happened. It's difficult to determine where to start on this one; I mean, it's a musical about a repo man collecting organs as payment. Think along the lines of Sweeny Todd, but more gruesome, trading in period gothic for future industrial gothic, where the music settles between terrible and neutral. There's an air of cult all over the film, from the casting to the generally emo and screamo style music, to the bloody, yet-comically fake, gore. And it's clear that the producers knew where it was headed as well, with some obscure casting decisions featuring faces you would never have heard of unless you weren't already deep down the rabbit hole. The shame here is that most of them are not very good singers, or are at least not properly equipped to try their hand at the styles of music being thrown at them. Not that it matters with such inconsistent quality in the composition. Strictly as a film, then, it's a frustrating mess. Maybe with the right company and the right mindset there is some energy and verve to be gleaned—there certainly seems to be a feeling of “almost!” throughout—but without the right mental state this whole damn thing will probably just make most people walk away.

3 out of 10.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Murder and mayhem go toe-to-toe with the fastest mouth in Orange County in Lethal Weapon scribe Shane Black's directorial debut. There's a surprising verve and hilarious amount of chaos swirling around in this film, most of it thanks to legendary motormouth and leading man Robert Downey Jr. Simply put, every time the troubled actor opens his trap, comic gold spills out. Helping to keep the energy up is some great chemistry with costars Val Kilmer and Michelle Monaghan. The story itself is a mish-mash of largely-standard film-noir tropes centering on a few folks in and around the movie business trying to solve a mysterious murder. For the most part the plot is fairly blasé, but smart writing and the self-knowing wit of everyone involved let it slowly become a smart deconstruction of other films in the genre. To say much more would be to say too much, but it's a fairly safe bet that anyone who likes their humor dark with a side of dirty will have a ball with this.

9 out of 10.

Coraline (2009)

There’s just something about a well done kid’s film. The very best of them are like so many childhood memories: a little bittersweet, a little funny, a little strange, and a little scary. Coraline is all of these, wrapped in an absolutely gorgeous hand-animated package done frame for frame by the talented Henry Selick, creator and animator of The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach. Here, Selick’s awkwardly gothic visuals find a kindred spirit in the work of author Neal Gaiman, weaving this tale of alternate realities and negligent parents into a dark fantasy filled with charm and fright in equal measure. There’s a spirit of childlike innocence running throughout, but the darker threads are what take the fore and it’s a film that is all the better for it, giving the whole a nuance and impression of the most creative of bad dreams. Helping it all along is some extremely capable voice work, including an exceptional performance by Dakota Fanning as the titular lead. The few drawbacks to the films approach are almost all to do with whether or not the content might be too creepy for children, as while the film may only be rated PG, the atmosphere speaks to an older audience. At it’s core though, it’s an hour and a half of breathtaking visuals and exceptional creativity.

9 out of 10.

Watchmen (2009)

When adapting one of the most important graphic novels in existence to the screen, the questions that come to the fore are usually ones of accuracy and suitability for cinema. One ultimately wonders with this movie just how much adapting occurred when translating the original work to film. It's accurate almost to a fault, presenting a deeply, darkly dense tome of a film filled with unlikable but powerful crimefighters, all fighting against their own issues while trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder of a retired "hero". Make no mistake, there are moments in the film that soar, but even at two and a half hours of wall-to-wall plot and exposition it still may come off to some viewers as impenetrable, if still interesting. In many ways, it's a film made for the existing Watchmen fans more than the casual moviegoer—it is uncompromising, brutal, and at times bafflingly complicated. But it's also exciting, refreshingly new, and visually striking. In among the abundant nudity and stomach churning violence lies a story whose light was only mildly dimmed by the transplant. Ultimately, the failures of the film seem to lie not in the craft of the players on and behind the camera, but in the impossibility of putting something so potent and deep into a new format. Watchmen, as a graphic novel, has a limitless scope carefully exploited to take full advantage of the drawn picture and written word. The film then, is mostly very well made and the product of obvious devotion to the source, however it too often tries to find its footing in a product that was never meant to be seen in motion.

8 out of 10.

Note: Of the two versions available as of July 2009, the Director's Cut is definitely the one to see. It manages to fix the majority of the sticking points of the theatrical cut, and though it adds a few new complatints the result is still definitely a net win and a smoother experience in almost every way. Just be prepared for the full three hour runtime.

Watchmen (Graphic Novel - 1987)

For better or worse, Watchmen changed the “comic book” forever. Alan Moore's magnum opus of so-called super heroes is less of a cheerful yarn telling tall tales of daring and justice and incredible power, but of the aftermath and smoldering ruin of costumed avengers past their prime and relevance, hidden among a society that has had them outlawed. Set in an alternate version of 1985, the story begins as a retired hero is mysteriously murdered, and the demons of a man who lived above the law are unearthed, causing ripples in a community of former crime fighters and villains. What sets it apart is how it is less about costumes and pageantry, but about a series of fundamentally broken individuals who were once driven to battle the dregs of society for one reason or another. It asks what real, completely fallible and often reprehensible human beings would do with near limitless power in a company of peers. The story itself takes a backseat to deep, exhaustive character study, giving each protagonist their due and sense of place; the brutal sociopath Rorschach is given the same level of attention as the godlike, apathetic Dr. Manhattan. It's this level of character depth and darkness, this willingness to show heroic archetypes as unlikable, miserable, depressed, depraved, yet utterly fascinating humans that led Watchmen to its place in history. One can argue with the wisdom of dragging once kid-friendly works into maturity, however at the same time the sheer level of audacity and craft at work in this seminal tome is absolutely undeniable.

10 out of 10.