The Hangover was about 3 friends and a guy they're forced to bring along to Vegas and the hilarity that ensued after drug induced shenanigans. The Hangover Part 2 is the exact same film. That's not a bad thing. It's hilarious, most definitely, and so wrong in all the right ways...but it's almost disappointing that they didn't try a different approach. If you loved the first one, you will love the second one. That's really all I can write about
And the next film review....IS SUPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SHUT UP, CRIME!
When I first got wind of James Gunn, he was writing a little movie called Slither, which happens to be one of the most fun horror movies in the last 10 years. It starred a relatively unknown actor(unless you were keeping up with Joss Whedon) known as Nathan Fillion. The movie ended up sparking my interest quite a bit but then I never saw anything James did after that...as a matter of face, I believe he dropped off the face of the earth.
That is, until Super.
I had odd expectations coming into this film. All of the trailers had it looking like a comedy mocking superhero films starring Dwight from The Office and the Juno girl, otherwise known as Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page. I figured I'd be in for a few laughs and it would be an alright watch. I was very wrong.
Super is a lot of fun. Surprisingly, it's a movie with a lot of heart and it's quite sad in a lot of ways. Super surprised me by coming out strong and building into a movie that really had an uplifting and unlikely plot. Most notably, Rainn Wilson can ACT! And not just ACT! I was really quite taken with his character, as he grows from a rather unlikable loser to a very sympathetic hero. There are several scenes that just blow my mind with how well Wilson keeps a straight face. Especially those scenes with Ellen Page..
Ellen Page, hands down, steals every scene she is in. Her gleeful laughter as she cuts up a bad guy during the film had me laughing so hard my rib cage was hurting. She was wonderful. A huge step up from Juno, which I also loved, and she creates the perfect companion for Rainn in Bolt-Girl.
Make no mistake, Super is a very harsh film. There is a lot of Violence but not really in a distasteful way. Super puts you in the judges seat, you see these bad people and you're the voyeur. They go down and you cheer. It's really hard not to when you see the likes of the people that are represented in the film. Even a welcome presence of Kevin Bacon is marred by how unlikable he is ultimately portrayed. There are no real people to root far as the film starts. Everyone has their weaknesses and flaws...but that's what makes Super so damn interesting. It's a character piece on the realities of humanity. Yes, it's done in jest, but it's a parody of life, not simply comic book and crime films. Some of the harshest moments involve emotion more-so than violence. I almost cried near the end of the movie because of a lot of unexpected yet excellently staged events unfold.
Super has to be one of my favorite films of all time. I was struck by the imagination and gritty realism that is portrayed on screen. There are some excellent performances by Liv Tyler, Keven Bacon, Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page and a most welcome cameo by Nathan Fillion. This is a movie for movie lovers, you MUST see it if you love cinema at all because it has a lot of the best parts of it. Now, excuse me, I think I'm going to go watch it again.
I've wondered about how Super was going to turn out. You just talked me into renting it, sir.
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