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The Solid (But Far From Spectacular) Now

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  • Title: The Spectacular Now
  • IMDB: link

The Spectacular NowAdapted from Tim Tharp’s novel of the same name by the writing team that gave us (500) Days of Summer and Pink Panther 2, The Spectacular Now is a movie of great moments than never really lives up to the promise of the edgy indie coming of age story it so desperately wants to be. Much like last year’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower (which is a stronger film), the movie rides a group of strong performances to just the right notes at times, but too often it also absent-mindedly gets lost in the melody.

Our story centers around Sutter (Miles Teller), a popular 18 year-old alcholic who begins hanging out with the shy and awkward Aimee (Shailene Woodley, who even without makeup is far too pretty and outgoing for the role) while trying to get over being dumped by his longtime girlfriend Cassidy (Brie Larson). Despite the cliched pairing of the cool dude with the uncool mousey chick who his friends can’t fathom why he would date (even though she’s the cutest girl in the entire movie), the story eventually takes darker direction (although not nearly soon enough for my tastes).

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21 Jump Street

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  • Title: 21 Jump Street
  • IMDB: link

21-jump-street-blu-rayWhen the police revive a cancelled 80’s undercover program because “the guys in charge of this stuff lack creativity and are completely out of ideas” a stereotypical angry black captain (Ice Cube) drafts two of the force’s least decorated officers (Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum) and sends them back to high school to stop the supply of a new synthetic drug.

Based on the 80’s television show starring Johnny Depp and Richard Grieco (both of whom make cameo appearances) 21 Jump Street is a funny, if juvenile and ultimately somewhat forgettable, film along the lines of Step Brothers. We’re given two characters who no one, including the audience, is expected to take seriously in a movie that pokes at least as much fun at its concept as it does celebrate its cliched nature. 21 Jump Street isn’t a movie you’re likely to go back to very often, but it works as a cheap rental with its share of laughs (as well as groans).

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Rampart

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  • Title: Rampart
  • IMDB: link

RampartWoody Harrelson stars as David Douglas Brown, a crooked cop forced to face up to his choices in the midst of the 1999 Rampart Scandal in which more than 70 Los Angeles police officers were implicated in the most widespread case of police misconduct in history.

The story is presented in the form of a character study of “Date Rape” Dave, a womanizing, bigoted bully who has daughters (Brie Larson, Sammy Boyarsky) from a pair of sisters (Cynthia Nixon, Anne Heche) and is facing charges of police brutality and viciously beating a man who crashed into his police car on camera.

In need of help Dave recruits a retired cop (Ned Beatty) and old friend of his father’s who puts him onto a heist that only gets him in further trouble with the LAPD. His involvement also puts an investigator (Ice Cube) from the District Attorney’s office on his case.

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Greenberg isn’t As Good as It Gets

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  • Title: Greenberg
  • IMDB: link

Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is a prick. Everything central to the character, and to the movie, is contained in that sentence. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach (Margot at the Wedding, The Squid and the Whale), based on a story by Jennifer Jason Leigh (who has a small, and completely forgettable, role in the film), Greenberg is yet another attempt to center a movie around an unlikeable character. Joy.

After being recently released from a mental institution (for an undisclosed mental breakdown which involved the loss of his ability to walk) New Yorker Roger Greengberg travels to Los Angeles to house sit for his brother Phillip (Chris Messina), who has taken his family on six-week vacation to Vietnam.

The fragile Roger is immediately, and awkwardly, attracted to his brother’s assistant Florence (Greta Gerwig) who, in some ways, seems even more fragile and damaged than Greenberg himself. You may be able to guess where this is headed.

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Quote of the Week

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Our quote this week comes from Stephen Colbert who reacts to the news he came in third in total votes on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People Online Poll.  Colbert came in behind Korean pop singer Rain, and Legend of Zelda and Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto.  Check out the video inside the Full Diagnosis.

“Donkey Kong?  Donkey Kong??  Oh sure it’s okay when a gorilla does it, but when I throw barrels at an Italian plummer they call it a hate crime.”

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