It's the second week in March now, and everyone is stuck between Mardi Gras and Easter, which means that if you gave something up, you are about ready to take it back.  This is no time to delve into the mysteries of French foreign films, no, no - it's time to smile. 

 

Everyone needs a good laugh, the problem is, not everyone comes together in regards to humor.  For example, I thought Into the Blue was funny, but apparently the filmmakers thought it was a drama - my bad.  Okay, now that my weekly Into the Blue joke is out of the way, we can get to the movies that intentionally made us laugh. 

 

This week we discuss an actor's brutal inability to see a bad script when he reads one, yet he somehow has a career.  Any guesses?  No it's not John Travolta . (In-audible response.)  No, you already guessed Travolta, it's not him.

 

Here's the list:

 

 

 

 

Popcorn Movie of the Week:

 

Year One

It's the ultimate popcorn movie... meaning you can sorta zone in and out. 

 

(Read the next line as if you were a large booming voice from above, like the narrator from George of the Jungle , it works better that way.)  There are times in a man's life when a movie that should have been an A-level film, falls far short of that marker.  Okay, no more booming voices.  Here is "the thing" as they say.  Year One was not a great film.  It has a few moments of laughter that are bound to keep nearly everyone off its back in general, but the idea combined with the comedic talent in Year One, should have pulled it through to become one of those movies you pull out to watch on DVD several times a year for a good laugh.  While the movie didn't do that, it also didn't bring home the bank at the box office.  It performed okay, but no one wrote home to Mom (who says that anymore?) about it.  The up-side?  Apparently no one was really renting it either, so Netflix has decided to put Year One up on their servers so maybe people will stream it for free - which is exactly what you are going to do! 

 

 Just so we are clear, this isn't going to be something you will put on your "best comedies ever" list you have hanging in your basement.  No, Ghost Ride r is still safely on the list.  However, you will give yourself something to mindlessly do this week.  If you are looking for something that is predictable, full of dumb humor, and a lot of Jack Black being... Jack Black, then this movie won't let you down.  Just don't expect too much from it, which is why it ended up here to stream so quickly.  There are a few laughs here though, seriously.

 

 

 

 

 

The One That Got Away:

 

Big Trouble

This movie didn't quite find the mass audience it wanted, mainly because it is too much of a hidden gem.

 

Big Trouble didn't fall on deaf ears to some.  The film has picked up a, shall we say, "provisionary-cult status" over the last five to ten, as the kids say (that's five to ten years).  There isn't a moment in this film that isn't quirky, off-beat, or absolutely entertaining.  Now that being said, the same type of over the top, out-there humor that makes this an instance classic to some, make is a complete waste of time for others.  Thus, it's in this category and not the popcorn movie of the week. 

 

Big Trouble isn't a good time for  all, it's a great time for some, and a bit strange for some others.  (That reminds me of that Abraham Lincoln quote... what was it?  (Light bulb) Oh yeah!  "You can fool some people all of the time, or everyone some of the time, but you can't fool everyone all the time."  Nice Abe.  By the way, did you know that Lincoln is a fan of Flicks to Stream and Gotchamovies.com?  Sure is, check his twitter if you don't believe me.  He and Chad Ochocinco are debating who would win in a boxing match.  Who do I think would win?  Tyler Durden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the Aficionado (Movie Buff):

 

Raising Arizona

Everyone has to start somewhere, and sometimes that start is a good film.

 

Nicolas Cage is a lot of things.  Being intentionally funny is not something that always comes to mind, however.  Neither is picking good roles, but I digress.  ( Bangkok Dangerous ?  Come on man!  Help me, help you!)  Still, Ghost Rider himself actually gave one of his best performances playing a husband who has undertaking the responsibility of kidnapping a child to make the wife (Holly Hunter) happy. 

 

In other news, now legendary filmmaker Joel Coen wrote and directed this one.  When you see the movie, you will see that Joel was just sinking his teeth into quirky adventures, preparing for his odyssey (ha... good one) O Brother, Where Art Thou .  Nicolas Cage seemed to have a "Knowing" about good roles to take early in his career.  I wonder where it went? 

 

Raising Arizona is one everyone should see at least once, and for you movie buffs out there, you have to be able to bring this one up in debates with your buddies.  I've done this before actually.  One of my friends told me, "That movie even sounds made up".  Well, it kinda does actually.  After the ensuing argument, a wager of ten dollars was put on the table (don't gamble kids), and after I proved the movie existed, followed by some warm reviews, I got my money... or I will once he gets his finances in order, probably.  Le Sigh. 

 

 

 

 

As Jeff Bridges would say at the Oscars, "Thanks dudes, later."

 

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