grown ups 2's gross-out comedy

I think I had my hands covering my eyes more at a recent screening of Grown Ups 2 than any horror movie I have ever seen. Maybe it was a horror film. It certainly had some horrific things happen in it. Maybe, like some scary movies can do, during the course of the movie I became anesthetized to the horror, because by the end of the film I have to admit that I also laughed, more than just a few times.

The first Grown Ups was pretty silly, but certainly not as raunchy as its sequel. The recent trend in comedy seems to see how gross can we get. Bridesmaids had its bridal shop/diarrhea fest. Pitch Perfect seemed to think that projectile vomiting might be a great running gag. All of the Hangover movies are non-stop yuck-fests (and I don't mean yucks as in laughs in this case, although I'm sure that plenty of folks would disagree with me.) Pushing the gross-o-meter is hardly anything new in movies. Remember Animal House, Porky's, and lots and lots of Monty Python? But somehow, in Grown Ups 2, mixing all of the bodily fluids and crotch shots and drug references in a (at least marketed) summer family comedy seemed a little bit more incongruous.

Sandler & Co. party like it's 1989

Sandler is once again laughing all the way to the bank, as his gross-out comedy easily beat the super-hyped sci-fi extravaganza Pacific Rim at the box office. As much as I had to sigh and wonder why Grown Ups 2 was resorting to the absolutely lowest common denominator of current comic trends, I had to applaud him once again for his commitment to his ensemble. Sandler likes to work with the same folks, again and again, and I can't complain when I get to see Steve Buscemi, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Kevin James, Maya Rudolph, etc. together again, in another movie. The actors all seem to be having such a good time that it almost makes me forget the cringeworthy scene where a drugged-out Nick Swardson undresses, goes to bed, and then gets up to use the toilet in a home display in K-Mart. But maybe that's the Sandler Kool-Aid talking again. He keeps casting Buscemi and I keep watching.

welcome to the hotel transylvania

The more Adam Sandler movies that I see (and I seem to be seeing a lot more these days than I ever thought possible) the more I think that I get his appeal. Of course the easy answer is that he makes people laugh. But I think there is something else going on in his movies. Sandler, whether consciously or not, is trying to hold onto what it feels like to be a kid, to be silly. That makes for some seriously juvenile humor at times, which can be a turn-off for many. But being in touch with your inner eight year-old also creates a feeling of goodwill. Sandler's comedies are silly and fun. Just as many jokes miss as hit their mark, but no one, especially Sandler, takes things too seriously. His approach seems to be that if this bit doesn't work, sit tight, something else is sure to. This comic benevolence extends to his roster of acting cohorts, who keep turning up to work with him.

Hotel Transylvania takes this relaxed approach and cast full of familiar Sandler pals and matches it with some truly colorful and attractive animation, courtesy of director Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack) in his feature film debut.

Sandler voices Dracula, a widower and extremely overprotective parent who is raising his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) in the Hotel Transylvania. Tartakovsky has Dracula glide around the castle — calm on the outside, but anxious and desperate to protect his only child in his every word and action. The hotel has been designed as a place where the world's monsters, who are actually fairly non-violent, can be safe from the dangerous and dreaded human population.

Once a year Dracula invites his fellow monsters Frankenstein (Kevin James), the Invisible Man (David Spade), the Mummy (Cee Lo Green), and the Werewolf (Steve Buscemi), among others to come and celebrate Mavis's birthday. This year Mavis is turning 118 and is getting curious, to point of distraction, about the world outside the castle walls. Dracula and Mavis will find both of their world's rocked when an unexpected human guest, a backpacker named Jonathan (Andy Samberg), shows up at the castle one evening.

Reviews have been mixed, but as usual Sandler can laugh all the way to the bank, as Hotel Transylvania had the highest-grossing September opening weekend, and is still going strong in its second week. Like Tim Burton's Frankenweenie, the makers of Hotel Transylvania have a love of old horror and monster movies, and viewers will have to pay attention to catch all of the many film references and movie monsters. The hotel is staffed by witches, zombies, and shrunken heads. I also spotted  a giant spider and octopus and a crawling hand, all favorites from '50s horror films. The kid loved the movie, so I'm sure I'll get plenty of chances to catch all of the other creatures when it eventually comes out on DVD.

When I was about my daughter's age I remember seeing The Mad Monster Party on television. I loved it, with all of the monsters and goofy, silly humor. I suspect that Sandler & Co. did too, and this is their take on the movie monsters they loved to be scared by as kids.

golden globes wrap-up

Article first published as Golden Globes Wrap-Up on Blogcritics.

I really enjoy watching the Golden Globes because it's an awards show that honors both TV and movies. It's also so much less pretentious, obnoxious and boring than the Oscars. The audience seated at tables makes for a more convivial atmosphere, for both the guests and the audience. But the television set with its weird dripping jewels background had the look of a 60s variety special. Hollywood hasn't been able to update the variety show look for the past 40 years?

Ricky Gervais was in top form as the host, opening the show by wondering not why Sex and the City 2 wasn't nominated for anything, but why the team who Photoshopped the movie poster was overlooked. He followed that rimshot by dipping way low on the taste-meter by revealing that he and his writers spend way too much time on internet gossip sites (like the rest of us) by making a gay Scientology joke. But I still think he was a great host, even if he did trash LOST.

For the most part everyone looked tasteful. Yawn. Cher's name kept getting mentioned in the broadcast, but no one brought the costume crazy like Cher used to, which used to make watching awards shows exciting. Jennifer Lopez wore something unattractive and confusing. Milla Jovovich looked a tad matronly in her all-grown-up gown. I guess when you are always wearing skin tight outfits and kicking butt in numerous Resident Evil movies when it comes to dress-up time you go for a more drapey princess dress. Scarlett Johansen looked pretty introducing best supporting actor/motion picture, but she was so much more animated here than in her movies, where she's always seems so blank and wooden. January Jones wore the only "hey what the heck?" outfit, bless her, with cut outs in all the right or wrong places, depending on your point of view. And bless the producers for bringing her on about halfway through the show to wake us all up.

All of the nominees seemed worthy, and there were no real upsets. That says a lot for the quality of television and movies last year, but doesn't make for a riveting awards show. But it was enjoyable to see deserving favorites win awards, Like Steve Buscemi and Boardwalk Empire. Steve Buscemi is who I wanted to win, and he did. Sorry, John Hamm, et al., the dude rocks. Buscemi "talked fast before the sad music came on" and gave a gracious speech. Buscemi's show Boardwalk Empire also won, I'm happy to say. Murderous and conflicted 1920s gangsters are so much more interesting to me than sexy serial killers, zombies, and 60s ad men, etc. Boardwalk Empire's producer seemed happy but surprised at their win, "Holy effin crap. We won a Golden Globe award."

Christian Bale, looking very Jesus Christ Superstar won for The Fighter. He beat out Michael Douglas, who looked well, but didn't have much of a chance with his Wall Street movie, and Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), Jeremy Renner (The Town) and Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech). All men will probably be back for the Oscars, with Rush giving them the biggest competition next time out.

Kevin Spacey and Julianne Moore (in way too much shiny rose-colored fabric) presented the award for 

best TV movie/miniseries. Any one of these could have won the award—Temple Grandin (HBO), Pillars of the Earth (Starz), The Pacific (HBO), You Don't Know Jack (HBO). Carlos, from Sundance Channel won. Of all of them, this is the one I haven't seen and on the one network I never watch. I'm not sure if it's an upset or not. 

My Gleek mom and daughter wanted Chris Colfer to win best supporting actor, TV series and he did. He made a very nice acceptance speech, short and sweet, about ending bullying—it was also the only whiff of anything socio-political in the evening. Glee won three awards. Jimmy Fallon and January Jones lip-synched their introductions for best TV series/comedy, but who was paying attention with January's red open-front dress? Glee won, and as much as I have had issues with this show, I have to say I'm happy for them all and they definitely deserve it in this group. Competition was 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, The Big, Modern Family and Nurse Jackie. The absolutely brilliant Jane  "I am nothing if not falsely humble"









 Lynch won supporting actress for Glee. She thanked her wife and family and nobody clapped or made a big deal. That's how the show was all night and that's how it should always be. Best actress in a TV series/comedy went to Laura Linney (who wasn't there because her father recently passed away) for The Big C. Sorry Lea Michelle. Maybe if you'd been in the supporting category, as the whole cast should be ... Glee also didn't win the best actor, TV series/comedy, which went to Jim Parsons of Big Bang Theory, a funny guy in a cute show which doesn't always get a lot of press. So bravo, Hollywood Foreign Press for that one.

Other wins were Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy), amazing and voluptuous-looking in orange, best actress in a TV series/drama. Her win seeming to have pleasantly surprised everyone, including herself. Cher's song from Burlesque won. The competition were songs from Country Strong, Burlesque, Tangled, and Narnia (there was a song?) Cher can really turn back time. I was sure Tangled had it in the bag. Original score went to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for The Social Network, which was a pleasant surprise as well. I guess the awards weren't all that predictable after all. A total surprise was Toy Story 3 winning best animated feature. Again, my money was on Tangled and I hope to have this rectified at the Academy Awards. P.S. No Shrek, but Despicable Me? It was funny when accepting for Toy Story 3 the director asked presenters Justin Bieber and Haylee Steinfeld, "Were you two even born when the first movie came out?" Olivia Wilde in dress bigger than a Disney princess and Robert Pattinson awarded best foreign language film to In A Better World from Denmark.

Just when I thought Ricky Gervais should host all awards shows forever, Robert Downey Jr. (in a grey suit and red tie, no tux, looking great) gave him a run for his money. Gervais introduced Downey after running off a list of his film titles "Iron Man, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang ... are these porn films?" Downey matched him by opening his introduction of best actress in a motion picture/comedy with, "I don't know if an actress can do her best work until I've slept with her ... Julianne ... Angie ... Annette ... Anne ... Emma I'd give it to all five of you ... right here on this stage" The man's got timing. Annette Bening won.

By far the best pair of presenters of the evening were Geoffrey Rush in a fedora and an over-enunciating Tilda Swinton wearing white on white on white. Swinton was thrilled to announce that the award for best actor/television mini-series/movie went to Al Pacino for You Don't Know Jack, a biopic about Jack Kevorkian. It's amazing when someone of Pacino's stature can sound grateful for being given "the opportunity" to play a part. Acting is such a strange profession and how precarious. Right after Pacino spoke about the thrill an actor has playing a real person, Claire Danes won in the actress category for Temple Grandin, with Temple sitting next to her and cheering her on from the audience.

Tina Fey and Steve Carell are good together, no matter how poorly their Date Night movie did at the box-office. They introduced the award for best screenplays "they could have written if they had the time," which was won, of course, by The Social Network. Aaron Sorkin may be good with words on paper, but he botched his acceptance speech for me by condescendingly declaring, "The people that watch movies are at least as smart as the people who make movies."
 Thanks a whole bunch.




Some more highlights: Anne Hathaway and Jane Fonda both tried to bring back the 80s big-shoulder look. This is not a good idea. Jeremy Irons, going head-to-head with Tilda Swinton in the Brits-enunciate-it-better dept. presented the best supporting actress/motion picture to Melissa Leo in The Fighter. What is usually a highlight of the night, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, was actually kind of low-key and more like a roast, with Matt Damon introducing recipient Robert DeNiro by confessing that he wasn't at all familiar with his movies (just joking, get it?), and a bunch of clips that seemed to feature only about six or seven of his most famous roles. God, I do love The King of Comedy. They were a nice bunch of clips, but not very much Godfather 2, which may be his masterpiece. And what, no Little Fockers? " I'm not the only one who had that thought, as DeNiro himself addressed its absence right off the bat, "It's OK. We all have our jobs to do." He then proceeded to announce a DVD box-set of all the other movies he did that no one has seen that he will be selling in the lobby after the show (just joking, get it?). It was all a bit much.

Ricky Gervais was missing for too much of the show. In fact, less presenters, more Gervais would have sped it along and spiced things up. Still, it's not as stultifyingly long as any Oscars I've seen. Presenters such as Tom Hanks and Tim Allen remarked on how mean Gervais has become in his comedy. Do they not know the man? His comedy has always had a razor-edge. Hanks and Allen (whiners) awarded best comedy/motion picture to The Kids Are All Right.
 Sandra Bullock (not thrilled with the bangs she was sporting, but wearing a beautiful dress) presented best actor/drama/motion picture. Colin Firth accepted the award gratefully, equating winning it with avoiding an embarrassing mid-life crisis. "Right now this is all that stands between me and a Harley Davidson." I think the Oscars will follow this award as well, even with the same tough competition of Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network, James Franco, 127 Hours, Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine, Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter.

The show wrapped up with best actor/motion picture comedy going to Paul Giamatti. I guess a double-Depp nomination doesn't ensure a win. Natalie Portman won best actress/motion picture drama for Black Swan, the only movie in her category that lots of folks have even heard of, even if they haven't seen it yet. She was visibly pregnant and I loved the dramatic red rose on the front of her dress, although I wish the dress had been black or white rather than baby-powder pink. The gal's having a year. Whether it will extend to the Oscars, I'm not so sure. The Oscars don't separate comedy/musical performances with drama and I think Kidman, Moore and Bening will be closer to the top of the Best Actress list for that awards show. Natalie had probably the worst speech of the night. "He totally wants to sleep with me!" Actors really do need a script.

The Social Network took home the rest of the awards. Best director/motion picture to David Fincher.

Michael Douglas presented the best motion picture/drama to a standing, loving crowd. "There's got to be an easier way to get a standing ovation." The Social Network won, as I think it will at the Oscars. Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception
, The King's Speech
 are all wonderful movies, and The Kids Are Alright should be in this category on Oscar night too.

All-in-all it was entertaining and the a pretty good preview of what's to come Oscar night. I am frankly most excited about Boardwalk Empire, a show I've loved since the premiere, but wasn't sure how much my enthusiasm was shared. I've been thinking all along that The Social Network would sweep, and so it has. The big question is whether the Oscars, just limited to movies, can take a cue from the Golden Globes and keep the show to three hours.

look out for that wave

Last night's Boardwalk Empire ended the first season with Margaret and Nucky rejoining forces. One part romance, one part fear of loneliness, one part fear of destitution (on Margaret's part), and one part they both aren't completely sure it's the right thing to do. Still, they had a stronger reason to continue on than Jimmy did with mopey artist Angela. Someday artists will be portrayed as not only depressives or outsiders. Some of us still get the bills paid and have at least one more facial expression in our repertoire than sad clown. I'm still hoping Angela buys a ticket to Paris next season.

Jimmy's dear old dad the Commodore, played by Dabney Coleman, is still jealous of Nucky taking over Atlantic City and just ticked that he's old and ill, so he is enlisting Jimmy and Nucky's disgruntled and preternaturally stupid brother Eli in an as-yet-to-be-revealed plan of betrayal. This won't go well, but it should be interesting to watch when the series returns.

Margaret: There’s a kindness in you. How can you do the things you do?
Nucky: We all have to decide for ourselves how much sin we can live with.

So many of these characters want Nucky to take care of them, but resent him for how he does so. It's the ultimate child/parent hate dilemma. Nucky is the dad of 1920s Atlantic City. If he ever gets to be an actual one, will he change his political and criminal tactics?

Even with wonderful character Richard Harrow's violent dispatching of various D'Alessio's to the required musical montage, the episode itself was fairly gentle. Sort of like the waves lapping out to sea and lulling you to walk a little further into the surf. Here's hoping next season's big wave will knock us all off our feet with surprise.

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under the boardwalk

I didn't really think I'd write about this show again so close to the finale, but last night's episode was something else. The prevailing mood is frequently ominous on Boardwalk Empire, but ominous took a walk right into out and out hostility and violence. Agent Van Alden took his frustrations and suspicions about his deputy out into the open, killing him by baptism as a crowd of horrified Baptists looked on. It was the perfect culmination of his growing religious mania and just plain mania. But has he completely lost control, to think that he could do that, in broad daylight, with no repercussions, just because he flashed a badge? Or because the witnesses were black?

Jimmy discovered that his mother, Gillian, was trying to murder his father, the Commodore. His male parentage is not as big a surprise as his female parentage was, as the hints have been coming and help to explain Jimmy's behavior towards Nucky—feeling he owes him something for looking after him, but also that he's better than him. Gillian was putting her son's anger into action. And hoping to inherit the Commodore's money. Jimmy quickly put a stop to her scheme, adding another shade to his character. Michael Pitt just keeps getting better and better, and he is matched by Gretchen Mol as his mother. We learn just tiny bits about her character each episode, but they always pay off in a big way. Here's hoping her part will expand next season. Jimmy also dealt smoothly with Angela's attempt to leave him. I know for the sake of the story's anti-symmetry that she had to fail, but I have to say hers is the least interesting character on the show. I would have been happy to wave her goodbye at the dock.

Nucky replaces Eli

Steve Buscemi's Nucky had confrontations of his own. His brother tried to strong-arm him about Kelly McDonald's Margaret and Nucky responded by firing him as sheriff, deciding he was his weakest link. Good call. While Nucky can read most people like a book, where Margaret is concerned, he's clueless. He started what he thought was a simple domestic tiff with her about her supposed jealousy, only to be surprised when she confronted him with what's really been bugging her—his ordering the murder of her husband. She was not mad at him for that as much as his manipulation of her as a chess piece, bringing her onto his board. Margaret forgets that she has been doing quite a bit of manipulation herself.

Nucky finally addressed the throwaway Lysol scene from a few episodes ago, which I questioned on another blog, and showed how much it hurt him that she was preventing any chance of pregnancy. But where Jimmy's girl is weak, Nucky's is not. Margaret was packed and gone the next day, leaving Nucky consulting fortune tellers. I'm worried for Margaret. Nucky's brother thinks she's a liability. I'm not sure about Nucky. He has done a lot to protect her and win her in the past, but will he now see her as an enemy? Is she now in even greater danger?



The title of this episode, Paris Green, was quite clever. An artist's pigment which is not used anymore, it could be made from arsenic. The can that Jimmy placed on the table ties together his mother's and painter Angela's plans quite neatly, while also hinting at the trip to Paris that never was, and Nucky's accusation of Margaret poisoning herself. It's a smart show. Boardwalk Empire has proven itself as more than a creative stunt by Scorsese and friends. Its characters are intriguing and its setting continues to provide atmosphere and history (Ponzi!) for those who are listening carefully. I'm eager to see what happens next in Atlantic City.

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steve buscemi—sex object

What a career this guy is having. I've been catching up with Boardwalk Empire. It is still beautifully filmed and intriguing enough to keep me interested. It has the requisite sense of menace, especially in the storyline featuring Michael Pitt as a young gangster on the rise, hanging out with the likes of Al Capone. It's fun to see some of these true-crime personalities like Capone and Lucky Luciano. Who knew that New Jersey and Atlantic City was such an epicenter for crime back in the day? I always knew Atlantic City was a shade sleazy, but didn't realize Prohibition led the way for it to become such a crime zone.

What is keeping me interested and tuned in is, of course, Steve Buscemi. His multi-layered Enoch "Nucky" Thompson is so interesting to watch. He is a realist. He's also a tough businessman who isn't afraid to be brutal if it's called for. He's a womanizer. And a romantic. He has clearly fallen for "Irish lass" Kelly McDonald. But in the world he inhabits he can only set her up in style, like "the other concubines." He can't be faithful or even reliable enough to keep a date. At least that is the present situation. It remains to be seen if his true love will be his downfall, or what redeems him. McDonald's Mrs. Schroeder certainly wants him to, if not be a one-woman man, at least not leave her sitting by this new-fangled contraption, the telephone.


It is a bit of surprise to watch Buscemi as a romantic. He has played so many weaselly parts that it is refreshing to see him so in charge, so sure of himself. I'm sure he's enjoying the change as well, as he is throwing himself into the role. The final scene in last week's episode when Buscemi comes to McDonald's house and woos her by simply using her first name for the first time was downright sexy. Yes, Steve Buscemi, sexy.

But make no mistake, he's still a little whiny underneath it all. But whiny with menace. With regret. With an agenda. I'm looking forward to seeing where his fine whine takes us next.

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on the boardwalk in Atlantic City ...

On the Boardwalk in Atlantic City
Life will be peaches & cream.

I'm originally from New Jersey, or more accurately, "da Shore." But I haven't always connected with how New Jersey has been depicted in popular culture. I got bored with The Sopranos after the first season. Springsteen, although born a Stone Poney's throw away from me, is O.K. in my book, but I don't even own an album. I haven't watched any of the Jersey Shore series, because those sort of botchagaloops drove me nuts when I lived in Jersey—why would I subject myself to their antics on T.V.—with commercials, even? But for some reason I wasn't going to miss Boardwalk Empire. Who am I kidding? There was a reason. Steve Buscemi. And he did not disappoint.



Now before the endless "Martin Scorsese is a genius" chorus starts, I'll just say that I just don't go crazy for gangsters, Scorsese's strong point. The ultimate gangster movie, The Godfather, I love, but as much for its stunning depiction of the New York Italian immigrant experience and the Italian-American concept of family as it's operatic story and Brando performance. Most folks probably view those aspects of the film as the backdrop of the story, with crime at the center. But The Godfather and its murderous set pieces have been so often imitated (yes, even by Scorsese) that the crime has become the backdrop for me and the other elements the deeper takeaway.

Scorsese is a good filmmaker, and with gangster drama he found his niche. Goodfellas, although I really never want to see it again, was great. As was Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, After Hours, etc. Even when he doesn't hit a home run, his movies are interesting—Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Age of Innocence. He is forever faithful to his muse and comfort zone, the streets of New York. But now he has traveled south to Jersey, about 120 miles out of his comfort zone—and happily, it works.



What I liked most about Boardwalk Empire so far, apart from the fantastic Buscemi, was the attention to detail—the capturing of the Boardwalk's split personality: viewed with your back to the beach it is pure honky tonk—bright and sleazy and tawdry and flashy and fun—even in broad daylight. Turn your back to the penny arcades and you can gaze at the sea—relentless and peaceful and contemplative. That aspect of Atlantic City's personality has always held true, from the time depicted in the series to my childhood, pre-casinos, when it had really gone downhill, to the post-casino era of today.

Cinderella you will find your fella
Someone waiting for you...

The young gangster wannabe, played by Michael Pitt, fresh from the trenches of World War I also helps set the 1920s context. As does the young Irish lass played by Kelly McDonald, set up to become very important to Buscemi, who, thank god, doesn't seem to be written as the typical "complex" bad guy. Buscemi, who is also out of his comfort zone with crime boss Nucky, is one of those actors who, whenever he shows up, no matter what type of character he's playing (and he's played some weaselly ones), you are happy to see him. Personal favorites include The Big Lebowski, Fargo, Reservoir Dogs and a bit in The Wedding Singer. He's also great in Ghost World, Miller's Crossing, Desperado—the list goes on and on.

So in other words, the show seems off to a good start and has definitely set up enough to make me want to come back for more. There is something about Boardwalk Empire that reminds me of the entertaining and good movie Ragtime, which, I think may end up being a good thing. Ragtime was a sprawling, episodic book with lots of characters—probably too sprawling to ever be turned into a great movie, along the lines of The Godfather, which had a sharper, honed-in narrative. But HBO, with the ability to tell an extended story, is the perfect venue for such a saga. Scorsese is also a producer of Boardwalk Empire and may return to do a few more episodes as director. As long as he continues to approach his comfort zone subject matter with fresh eyes I will be eager to see what he sees. He has gotten things off to a good start.

In romantic, enchantic,
Atlantic City...
Down by the old New Jersey shore!
"On the Boardwalk at Atlantic City" Lyrics by Mack Gordon

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