3.5 Razors

The Invention of Lying

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The Invention of Lying
  • IMDB: link

the-invention-of-lying-posterThe premise is simple: In a world where everyone tells the truth one man (Gervais) discovers the ability to lie. Some of the turns the script takes are expected, Mark Bellison (Gervais) uses his new ability for personal and professional gain, and some are less so such as using little white lies to improve the lives of those around him by giving them hope about life, and what comes after. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The film’s major achievement is creating a world of truth which is constantly giving us funny moments. Aside from the most inappropriate name for a retirement community ever, the film also includes the funniest (and most truthful) Pepsi advertisement I’ve ever seen. Although the story itself is fine, it’s in these small touches the film ultimately won me over.

The film isn’t perfect. The people of this world are truthful, but at times they are also more forthcoming with much more information than is required, truthful or not. Yes they should be truthful, but should they be compelled to share every harsh truth that comes to mind?

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Whip It

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Whip It
  • IMDB: link

whip-it-posterDrew Barrymore might have found a new career as a director of offbeat films. (Better that than starring in more forgettable romcoms or Charlie’s Angels 3).

Although Whip It is rough, which you would expect from a first-time director, Barrymore provides an engaging and unexpectedly good sports movie.

Ellen Page stars as Bliss Cavendar, a 17 year-old small town girl who becomes instantly fascinated by the world of roller derby. Stuck in the beauty contest world of her controlling mother, Bliss finds solace, and the opportunity to find herself, in something new.

Lying about her age, Bliss is selected to be part of the team of misfits known as the Hurl Scouts who are just as happy to come in second place, perhaps even more so, than actually win a contest.

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Castle – The Complete First Season

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Castle: The Complete First Season
  • tv.com: link

When a pair of murders are discovered to be recreations of his novels, writer Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) is brought in for questioning by Detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic). Castle, coming off the end of a best-selling series of novels, is looking for something different. And, much to Beckett’s consternation, he finds it by helping her solve the case.

Rather than part ways Castle becomes a permanent consulatant for the NYPD as he does research for his new character “Nikki Heat” based on Beckett. As he writes, and takes care of his precosuious mother (Susan Sullivan) and responsible daughter (Molly C. Quinn), Castle helps Beckett and her team (Jon Huertas, Seamus Dever, Tamala Jones) solve a string of cases including a man stuffed into a wall safe, a nanny thrown into a dryer, the death of a young private school student in Central Park, a woman frozen for years, a woman drowned in a bathtub full of motor oil, and a dead Councilman.

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Lucky Number “9”

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: 9
  • IMDb: link

9-posterAdapted by creator Shane Acker from the short film of the same name, and produced by Tim Burton (who knows a thing or too about creepy and unconventional animated films), comes 9.

CGI animation in the style of stop-motion, Acker’s film is a breath of fresh air in both style and story. If you enjoyed Coraline earlier this year then this one’s for you. Here’s a good story beautifully rendered and not afraid to inspire both fear and awe in younger viewers.

Rather than take time to explain the world and its rules (i.e. talk down to its audience), as would happen in well over 90% of animated films (and close to 100% of kid’s films), we’re thrown right into the middle of the action.

The story begins with birth into a world of death. This is a post-apocalyptic world populated only by small puppet figures and dangerous mechanical beasts. We discover the world through the eyes of the newly created 9 (Elijah Wood).

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Psych – The Complete Third Season

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Psych – The Complete Third Season
  • tv.com: link

I’m a big fan of Psych. Equal parts silliness and mayhem (with more than its fair share of 80’s pop culture references), the tale of fake psychic Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and his best pal Burton Guster (Dule Hill) solving crimes, both large and small, is a darn good time.

The four-disc set includes all 16 episodes from Season Three. One of my favorites from this season, or, for that matter the entire series, is the high school reunion episode “Murder? … Anyone? … Anyone? … Bueller?” packed to the brim with John Hughes references. It, like the season’s final episode “An Evening with Mr. Yang” (another strong episode, which you can watch below), also guest-stars Rachael Leigh Cook as the girl from Shawn’s past who got away.

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