Quick Queue: Tropic Pineapple Rising for Coraline
It’s been a while since The Queue has reared its head, so I’ve got four movie reviews to fire off here (although in a slightly shorter format). Let’s get started.
Pineapple Express
Not since the masterpiece Dumb and Dumber have two best friends with less than stellar intellect and decision-making skills made a funnier pairing. Pineapple Express starts out funny and ends in insanity. When Dale Denton accidentally witnesses a druglord-related murder and his identity is traced back to his drug dealer, Saul, the two men have no choice but to work together to out-run their would-be assassins.
When you start watching this movie, you expect it to be a slapstick comedy with some raunchy humor, but it comes out with guns blazing. Does it have Gary Cole and Seth Rogan having a machine gun fight in an underground weed bunker? Yes it does. Is Danny McBride running over people in a Daewoo? Yes he is. And it all wraps up in time for breakfast at the Waffle House.
What To Add It For: It’s funny, man.
This really is a funny movie. With everything from comedic dialog to over-the-top action scenes that are hilarious in their ridiculousness.
What To Remove It For: Low brow humor.
Comedy is definitely subjective, and while I love a crass-humored stoner comedy done right, it’s not what others may like.
Rating: 4/5
Coraline
Coraline began with a lot of promise. Right away, I was in love with the character designs – something of a mash-up between The Nightmare Before Christmas and the classic Rudolph animated movie. Every character was almost immediately likable except for one, Coraline. I just didn’t really care about the main character. Similar to the main character in the book Where the Wild Things Are (and I’m curiously wondering how the movie will handle it), the main character is really a brat and you almost feel like she gets what she deserves.
Yes, her parents are stereotypically inattentive and borderline neglectful, but she’s a kid, and sometimes kids just need to do what they’re told. I really don’t think kids need more reasons to think they’re the center of the universe. All-in-all, it doesn’t really matter since by the time the story picks up and gets exciting, you are rushed through the rest of the film wondering what the long setup was really all about.
What To Add It For: Spectacular animation.
The character design is incredibly well-done and the stop-motion effect never gets old.
What To Remove It For: Slow moving story.
It takes a while for the story to get going, and even when it does, not enough attention is focused on Coraline’s quest during the third act.
Rating: 2/5
Tropic Thunder
Dismally unfunny is really my best description of Tropic Thunder. For all of the hype of how funny this movie was, it did nothing but disappoint. Ben Stiller is really hit-or-miss for me, and in this one he completely missed, Jack Black is irrelevant, and while Robert Downey Jr. gets the most laughs, his character felt like a Saturday Night Live skit that went on way too long.
The only bright spot in the movie was a famous cameo playing an unexpected role. This movie could have been only about this character and would have been much funnier and interesting. It’s the only thing keeping me from rating it a zero. Maybe they should have let Bill Hader take a run at a bigger role.
What To Add It For: That one guy.
If you haven’t seen it, I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say that an overweight, balding dance maniac takes the cake in this one.
What To Remove It For: M.I.A. laughs.
While not completely devoid of funny moments, I was waiting for something truly obscenely funny that never came.
Rating: 1/5
Nerdcore Rising
This one is for all the nerds and geeks out there. Being a fan of Nerdcore Hip Hop (geek-inspired lyrics over rap beats) I was drawn to Nerdcore Rising since it is a documentary about the father of Nerdcore, MC Frontalot. The movie follows him and his band on their first national tour, and along the way you not only see that it’s hard out there for a nerd, but how there’s also a lot that is heart-warming about trying so hard to be a lovable outcast.
This movie makes you feel good about being geeky in that “they’re just like me” kind of way. Anyone with the same interests and hobbies with a love for music could see themselves in Frontalot’s place. Not only do you really want to see this band succeed, but it makes you feel good about being the nerd that you are.
What To Add It For: Nerds on tour.
Fans of Nerdcore Hip-Hop and MC Frontalot will appreciate the behind-the-scenes look at the life of a nerd on a rock tour.
What To Remove It For: MC in the front (a lot).
I was hoping to see more from other Nerdcore artists, but because Frontalot is probably my favorite, I didn’t mind too much.
Rating: 3/5
Comments
Thanks for reading! If you liked, or didn't like, what you read, let me know by leaving a comment.
There are no comments yet. Be the first!
Subscribe to Comments for this Post
Howdy, Stranger! Leave Your Comment...
Don't worry, I won't share your information with anyone.