Seven Pounds

Seven Pounds (2008)

Directed by: Gabriele Muccino

Written by: Grant Nieporte

Starring: Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Barry Pepper

Rating: PG-13

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Hello? Is it me you're looking for?

I'm back again! This is the second installment of the Archives Report: Vacation Edition. I watched plenty of films over my 9 day vacation, so there is still more to come.

Hopefully your wounds aren't too salted from all the outrageous claims I made in the previous entry, and that you can look past it into my relative objectivity from this point forward.

To be frank, this is not my freshman viewing of Seven Pounds. Far from it, in fact. But I happened to watch said film with three people who WERE watching it for the very first time, and it brought back some memories. I think the best time anyone watches this film is the first time.

That being said, I don't want to give away any plot details for those embarking on their maiden "Seven Pounds" voyage. I will try to keep the synopsis brief and aloof.

Brief and Aloof Synopsis:

A man called Ben with a fateful secret (Will Smith; Men in Black)  embarks on an extraordinary journey of redemption by forever changing the lives of seven strangers, including a heart transplant patient (Rosario Dawson; Men in Black II) and a blind man (Woody Harrelson; Zombieland).

Thoughts:

Hopefully I didn't give too much away. I took some liberties from the brief synopsis posted on IMDB and that's all!

I still don't want to say that much about the movie. Will Smith has always been one of my favorite actors, and he never stops short of proving his dramatic chops. Dawson and Harrelson both really shined in their roles as well.

Barry Pepper (The Green Mile) actually gave one of the most impressive, un-sung performances of the film. He didn't have an incredibly large role, and at first his role is unclear. After his role becomes clearer, Pepper shines in this extremely dramatic and impactful role.

The remaining supporting cast is strong but does not stand out. Smith, Dawson, Harrelson and Pepper command the scenes they are in.

Now that I have gotten through my thoughts on the actors (I have college level acting training, you know!) I will start in on my favorite element of this film: the story's presentation.

One of the basic but fundamental elements to writing or creating a successful script is to create some kind of questions. When the audience has questions, they hang on and become interested in the answers. A main source of criticism that I read on films and plays alike is that they didn't resolve all their questions, or the questions weren't deep enough to care about the answers.

While fundamental, Seven Pounds uses this element well. When you watch this for the first time and are remotely interested in what is going on, you will have a TON of questions. Why? Because I did, when I saw this movie in theatres back in 2008. How do I know YOU will? ....I don't, but I'm assuming for 1 reason, and that would be the quizzical looks and explicit questions asked by my three movie watching companions. My steadfast response continued to be "Keep watching".

Seven Pounds was succesful in part because of the strong performances of its main actors, but mainly because of its commitment to basic dramatic elements, and executing them well.

Conclusion:

I recommend this movie. It is imperative that you have a few tissues handy when you decide to embark on this particular quest. However, what we learn from this movie is that ultimate good can come from ultimate bad, and Barry Pepper has some great acting chops!

Seriously, I can't give too much away, but watch this. You won't regret it.

Thanks for reading as always. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions! Comment, Facebook us or Tweet @archivesreport! Thanks again! God bless!

NAH

Men in Black II



Men in Black II (2002)

Directed by: Barry Sonnenfield

Written by: Lowell Cunningham, Robert Gordon, Barry Fanaro

Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Rip Torn, Rosario Dawson, Lara Flynn Boyle

Rating: PG-13

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

And So You're Back, From Outer Space!



Hola! I'm back from vacation, so I'm slowly working on the mountain of un-written entries that have piled up after my two days of nothing but lounging around a Gatlinburg cabin and watching movies! As fun as that was, I now feel obligated to write on them in a reasonable time frame, so I can recall them while they're fresh. With this particular entry, that shouldn't be an issue. Why? I've easily seen this film 100 times.

I'm prepping my bold statement about this film now, so you can stew about it and argue with me at the end of the entry in the comments or via Twitter or Facebook.

Bold Statement:

(LOL, see what I did there?)

Men in Black II is better than the original.

Yes, I do understand that I may receive hateful comments despite this just being an opinion. I get it, I really do. This is not to say that I don't love or appreciate the original Men in Black, either! Obviously there couldn't be a sequel without an original. I think as far as fun, action/comedy/scifi films, that Men in Black II accomplishes more. It's funnier, just as action packed, and faster paced than the original.

Again, I realize there are a lot of sequel hating movie purists who will give me crap on this one, that's why I went ahead and got it out of the way. More on that later!

Synopsis:

Agent J (Will Smith; Seven Pounds) stumbles on to a case that MIB worked on years ago involving Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle; Wayne's World) forcing his need for help from Zed (Rip Torn; Dodgeball, a True Underdog Story), who in turn insists that he de-neuralize his former partner, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones; Lincoln) to help him save the earth...again!!

Thoughts:

I've always loved this film...almost as much as I love gettin' flushed!

The comedy in this film is very strong. Will Smith has always been one of my favorite comedic actors (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will always hold a special place in my heart, and never ceases to make me laugh), plus the straight man Tommy Lee Jones, and comedic ensemble of humans and aliens alike, make for a strong comedic presence. Frank the pug, the worms, the two headed guy (Johnny Knoxville; The Ringer) and Jeebs (Tony Shaloub; Galaxy Quest) are some supporting cast highlights.

One of my favorite aspects of a comedy film is its quotability (I'm not 100% sure that is a word, but let's go with it). Of course, what I mean by that is when a movie is extremely quotable like Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story or Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. While more people from my generation have seen the latter two than MIIB, it still retains that same memorable quote material.

The action half of the film is strong as well. I wouldn't say it was AS strong, but largely due to a static performance by the film's main villain, Serleena. Johnny Knoxville accomplished his dopey sidekick role (in true Men in Black fashion) but the main villian just didn't seem to be evil enough. Ironically, Lara Flynn Boyle was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress for this role!

Rosario Dawson (Seven Pounds) stays relatively neutral throughout the film. She has a ton of acting talent but didn't pick a great venue to showcase that. She serves her purpose in the film well, though, and I have nothing bad to say about the performance she gave.

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are as compatible as they always were, and the supporting cast (aside from Boyle, of course) shines in its comedic glory!

Response to Bold Claim:

Now that you have had time to either get madder about my bold claim, or stop and reflect, I wanted to elaborate on the claim I made that MIIB is better than the original, MIB. Historically, it is not often that the general public accepts sequels as better than the first. The Godfather Part II, The Empire Strikes Back, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation often top a list of sequels widely accepted as better than the original, though often that list is a short one. I think Men in Black II should at least be considered.

Of course, I have never met anyone (I mean it. ANYONE) who agrees with me, so of course there will be dissent. Though, if you are a kindred spirit, I would love to meet, chat hours on end with, and become best friends with you. Always looking for people who also love to get flushed!

Here are some reasons that I love MIIB better than the first:

1. It's funnier. I'm a big fan of movies with both comedy and action and MIIB doesn't disappoint.

2. Many of your favorites from the first film return. I think this is an important part of any sequel. Sequels with only a few (or one) returning character can sometimes be interesting, and even great movies in their own right, but more often than not, I want to see all of my favorites return! MIIB brought back not only Agents J and K, but also Zed, Frank, Jeebs, and the Worms. Not even the third installment of the Men in Black series can boast that, and (while I enjoyed it) I was honestly disappointed by that.

3. It enhances the experience of the first installment. If you have seen the first MIB movie, you are 10x as likely to enjoy the second. Through dialogue and visuals alike, it pays homage to the original in several ways, all while preserving its integrity as a stand-alone film. Though it is made better for a franchise fan, it is also a fun time on its own.

All the above reasons are what I look for in a sequel. Though I can certainly appreciate The Dark Knight's of my day, with a sequel to a fun movie, I expect just as much if not more fun.

Again, I'd love to hear your responses to this. Let's discuss! I could discuss all day!

Final thoughts:

I say you should see this movie, if you haven't. I'd recommend watching the first MIB, then the 2nd, then waiting 10 years and then seeing the third. Just kidding, but seriously.

I enjoy this movie for several reasons that I've already stated, but don't forget what you can learn from it. Your calling is your calling, whether you accept it or not.

Watch this film with an open mind. While I'm sure the folks at Universal greenlighted this sequel as a cash cow, it should not be written off as such. Watch with an open mind, otherwise, "(Jeff) I am SO NOT IN THE MOOD FOR YOU RIGHT NOW!!"

That about wraps up my entry for one of my favorite sequels. I really encourage feedback of any kind, so please do not hesitate to comment or tweet me @archivesreport or find us on Facebook! Thanks so much for reading! I look forward to your thoughts! Thanks so much!

God bless!

NAH

Fever Pitch

Fever Pitch (2005)

Directors: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly

Writers: Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, Nick Hornby

Starring: Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore, Jack Kehler

Rating: PG-13

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Guys!! I'm back again!! I know you missed me. Come on...admit it. Here's some blank space for you to come to terms and admit it so we can both move forward.

Okay. How's that? Better now. Yes. I missed you too.

Tonight I got off work a little early so I decided that I would watch a movie after dinner (which turned into two movies..more on that later). Anyway, I decided that I would leave it up to a random number generator. I put in the beginning and ending numbers of my list, and the first one I hadn't seen, I'd watch. So here we are.

I acquired this movie probably 4 years ago. It was definitely my freshman year of college and I'm certain that I bought it out of the $5 bin at Wal-mart, you know, before it was filled with the classics of my generation. It has been sitting in "The Archives" forever, and I have just now gotten around to watching it.

Given the story, though? Couldn't have come at a better time.

The story is about Ben (Jimmy Fallon; Late Night with Jimmy Fallon), who is a lovable thirty year old man to whom I (and many others, I'm sure) can relate. He's a sports fan. And he's not as casual as I am. He's a die hard Red Sox fan. He discovered it at an early age and he's loved them all his life. He was left season tickets for life by his Uncle Carl (Lenny Clarke; TV's Rescue Me) He teaches high school math for a job, and as a second job he follows the Red Sox. Everywhere.

And of course, you don't have a baseball themed chick-flick without the girl half of the classic "boy meets girl" scenario. Meet Lindsey (Drew Barrymore; Never Been Kissed), who is a business woman, very much invested in her career. She is pushing for a promotion at her large corporate job, and is also a thirty year old woman troubled by her being consumed by her career, instead of sports fandom.

The two meet (WHAT!???!!!!!! SPOILERS!!!!) on a field trip that Ben takes a few select students on to meet someone who has an interesting career involving math (which Lindsey does). Yadda yadda yadda, we have a story!!

Needless to say, Ben's hardcore fandom and Lindsey's career create some roadblocks for each other. They have both been focused one way for so long that it's hard to change their ways. I won't reveal too much, but trust me, it's good.

My favorite part of the story is the concept. It deals with compromise and quirks in relationships. You can't have two people as different as Ben and Lindsey without a little compromise, but for the right person, you're willing (and yet, oddly might not have) to give it all up, just for them. Let's just say...I can relate. This movie re-affirms some life decisions I've made lately, to say the least.

A nice touch: It was set during 2004, which is the year that the Red Sox broke the "Curse of the Bambino". This movie is probably a little more enjoyable with a little bit of baseball history knowledge. I have a lot of that. You would too growing up in my house.

I loved the story. I thought it was well written, creative, and altogether an enjoyable film. Jimmy Fallon has a bad rap as an actor because of his problems keeping a straight face on SNL, but I REALLY enjoyed him in this role. Drew Barrymore has always had a certain loveliness that keeps her afloat, and did well too. I also really enjoyed the performance of Al (Jack Kehler; Men in Black II) who was the narrator and played Ben's fellow season ticket holder and long-time friend. Frankly, the Farrelly brothers will always be comedy gods to me, but it's hard not to think that after Dumb & Dumber. I mean, come on! Comedy GOLD!

It's predictable, it's not star studded, and there has been better acting, but as far as an enjoyable movie, A+, Jimmy Fallon and company. Well done. Romantic, truthful, and fun. And frankly, the PG-13 rating is understandable but it's nothing compared to some others I've seen that are family friendly. 

Ultimately, this movie will make you laugh out loud by yourself. It's worth one watch, especially for baseball fans or people with things that distract them from relationships. Thanks for reading. I'll try to get the next one up soon! Also, I've decided that I'll do a "Summer 2012 Release" series, where I review some movies I saw in theatres over the summer, and that I'm going to do a review for every movie I have archived, eventually. So expect a lot more writing, and let's UP THIS BLOG TRAFFIC BABY!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!!

Okay. I am an adult with two jobs to work tomorrow. Enough for now. Please leave your feedback in some way shape or form, and I'm always down for movie suggestions (especially from the list, but if you know I saw one this summer, hit me with that one too!)

Peace, Love, and God Bless,

NAH