One Paragraph Review: Superbad

Disclaimer: I'm generally not a fan of the dumb-teenager movie genre, and I had low expectations seeing Superbad. So I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed Superbad. Here is a movie which sinks so inappropriately low that it actually sounds like the things my friends and I said in high school, right down to relying on the timelessly hilarious act of drawing male genitalia. Yet Superbad doesn't stop at endless sexually obsessed teen-dialog, it actually wraps it's idiotic characters into one of the most awesome nights of partying and mayhem ever put into film. It's totally unbelievable and totally awesome to watch. Between delinquent police officers, loads of drinking, a scene with a particular type of blood that I'm pretty sure nobody has ever before fathomed putting in movie, and a dorky kid with a fake-id that simply says "McLovin"; this movie is gloriously Super Bad.

One Paragraph Review: Juno

Juno is a well written and even better directed film that delivers the goods, despite the high expectations set by gleaming reviews praising this "indie film about teen pregnancy." Indeed, Juno is a film about a teenage girl who is pregnant. But Juno really deserves your money because it is not just "a movie about teen pregnancy," but a movie which uses that borderline-taboo subject to tell an engaging and honest story about teens and their parents themselves. Juno is frequently wickedly clever, very funny and refreshingly honest. Unfortunately, it also has it's moments where it tries a little too hard to be "indie," usually by forcing some awkward dialog out of the mouths of its' capable actors. Luckily, the minor negative points don't detract from the overall honesty and warmth of the film.

One Paragraph Review: I Am Legend

Though I had high expectations about I Am Legend due to being familiar with the book's storyline, I really enjoyed most of this movie. New York City was brilliantly re-created here, with more than one scene guaranteed to make you stop and think how exactly they pulled it off. Will Smith does a great job portraying what is a well crafted and well written character. Despite the fact that Neville is essentially alone, the movie maintains a good pace while exploring Neville's mental state and emotions. My one considerable complaint is that the the end of the movie doesn't at all live up to the stage set by the first hour and a half of the movie. I Am Legend comes to a haphazard, coincidental, borderline banal close that really disappoints. Check out the summary of the book for an ending I'd much prefer.