The Divine Miss J Goes to the Movies!

So I have been a busy EGS'er these past few weeks and realized that most of my time has been spent watching movies. I've had the pleasure of going to the theater a multiple times this week and I watched a few in the comfort of my own home. All I have to say is Netflix and Redbox have been great for my wallet! That will be in a separate post.


Summer is for blockbuster action/comic films or family fare. This month we are heavy on the family stuff. If that is not your speed then I would head straight to either The Charles or your local Redbox!

Matt and I saw Toy Story 3. There has been a good deal of buzz (pun intended) around the final installment of this trilogy. I've read how great this movie is and to make sure that you don't forget the tissues. No spoilers but I will say that I found the story kind of repetitive. How many different ways can these toys be separated from their owner and have to find their way back? Individually each of the movies are really well done. I think as far as the series goes this theme was getting played out. For a fresh perspective read The Stuff of Legend.

Grown Ups features all of our favorite comics from when we were in high school. The best and shortest description of this movie was given by my masseuse, "It is Wild Hogs but for people under 40". Sure Wild Hogs was funny and so was Grown Ups. It was just kind of sad to see my favorite comedians doing a last ditch effort buddy pick. In an interview on The Howard Stern Show, David Spade and Chris Rock said that they really felt the pressure to make this movie great. While they were filming Grown Ups, The Hangover was released. That movie turned out to be such a box office success that they knew they needed Grown Ups to be a hit. Unfortunately I don't see this as being the fuel to reignite any ones career. IMO, I saw it finalizing the reality that Chris Rock is going to be the new Eddie Murphy...Daddy Daycare in Space anyone??

Cyrus was written and directed by Mark & Jay Duplass, who you may know as the creative team behind The Puffy Chair and Hannah Takes the Stairs. I'll start this summary saying that I loved this film! I found the casting choices to be amazing Catherine Keener, Marissa Tomei, John C. Riley, and Jonah Hill in the lead role of Cyrus. The four main characters have all shown their comedic abilities in a variety of movies. What did concern me was that we've also seen everyone but Hill in dramatic roles, would he be able to bring the necessary vulnerability to Cyrus? Hill brought the perfect blend of dark comedy and a dramatic presence to this role. I'm sure Hill's presence will bring in fans of his Apatow flicks, they may be disappointed. For the movie goer that enjoys the sense of humor in a Wes Anderson or Noah Baumbach film you will not be disappointed.