30 Minutes or Less poster and trailer

30 Minutes or Less is a comedy starring Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson and Aziz Ansari.  Eisenberg and Ansari are forced to rob a bank and craziness ensues.  Check out the trailer and my thoughts below.

Looks hilarious! It doesn't hurt that it stars some of my favorite comedians today.  Ansari is making the leap into leading roles now and Eisenberg flexes his comedic muscles.  The movie is directed by Ruben Fleischer, who also directed Eisenberg in the great Zombieland.  This looks like it's going to be a nice wrap up to the 2011 Summer film season.  Hopefully it lives up to my expectations.  You?

Due Date DVD review

DVD reviews give us a chance to review a movie that we may not have seen in theaters.  Or, we saw it in theaters and we were too lazy to review it.  Or, we want to give you all a heads up as to what cool extras are on the DVD or Blu-Ray. 

Due Date is directed by Todd Phillips who's helped create such hits as Old School and The Hangover.  It stars the amazing Robert Downey Jr. and 'Hangover' breakout star, Zach Galifianakis. 

Downey is about to be a father, but is on the opposite side of the country, and needs to get to his wife.  Due to hilarious events, he can't fly, so he MUST take a road trip with Galifianakis, an aspiring actor.  Hilarity ensues as they start their road trip across country with a little dog, no money and a ton of funny situations.  I'm gonna start.

What I liked about the film:
It's Simplicity

This film is very simple and very straight forward.  Two guys who have nothing in common, who are very different from each other, are forced to drive cross country.  There is some physical comedy but for the most part, it's grounded in reality.  I'm starting to mention that more and more in my reviews because I'm realizing it's a vital part of my movie-going experience.  If I can't relate, it doesn't equate.  Sorry, I had a Johnnie Cochran moment.

The Cast

Downey is one of my favorite actors, and Galifianakis is right there.  The two play such contradictory characters, they're bound to clash from time to time.  They play off each other like a game of ping pong.  Downey is great as a stuffed shirt, always serious, business man.

Galifianakis basically plays a variation of his character in 'Hangover', but it's still different enough for it to be fresh.  That's why it's not a "dislike" on my review.  He has a few emotional scenes in the film that gave me a whole new perspective on him as an actor, kudos for showing some range.

The supporting cast is great, including one of my favorites, Danny McBride, also Michelle Monaghan and Jaime Foxx.  Good stuff.

Director
Todd Phillips just has a knack for these comedies.  If you look at his work, he always has a terrific cast and supporting cast to carry the film.  His movies all have that "it could happen" feel, as well as relateable characters.  He also knows how important timing is when it comes to comedy.  The jokes and execution are perfect.  Nicely done, again.


What I didn't like about the film:
Sub Plot

Without giving too much away, there is a sub plot in the film that doesn't really ever go anywhere.  It involves Monaghan and Foxx's characters and it felt so stupid and a complete filler.  It's not enough to write off the movie or anything, its just one aspect that didn't work.


The Blu-Ray:
A Let Down
There aren't too many features to jump up and down for.  Also, it's important to note that if you want any features at all, you'll have to shell out $24.99 for the Blu-Ray/DVD combo.  The single Blu-Ray and single DVD don't have any features at all.  The combo has the complete "Two and a half Men" scene that is mentioned throughout the film.  It has a few mash-ups featuring scenes already in the film.  A short featurette about Galifianakis' character and a gag reel.  That's it. 

The Verdict:
Buy the DVD
The film is great in my opinion.  The actors, the story, the direction are all great.  The movie is a definite buy in my book.  But I would go with the DVD.  There are no scenes that require 1080p visuals, and the features fall flat on the expensive Blu-Ray combo.  Get the good 'ol regular DVD for $13.99 on Amazon.com.  Great price for a new release.  Enjoy!

"Your Highness" Red Band Trailer

I love Danny McBride, I mean I really really love Danny McBride. I've been watching his work for a few years and I honestly think he's one of the most underrated comedy actors in Hollywood. The man really can do it all. Check out Up in the Air as well as Due Date if you don't believe me. Those are just co-starring roles; check out Eastbound and Down to see the man really shine!

The trailer below is for Your Highness; it stars McBride, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel and the gorgeous Natalie Portman. I kind of want you all to see the trailer and tell me what you think. Check after the jump for my comments.

Ok, what did you think? Different, no? I like it. I think it's an interesting and fun way to look at Medieval Times. We know based on Pineapple Express that there will be a lot of riffing and improv between Franco and McBride. McBride especially knows how to roll with the lines, even if they weren't intentionally written that way. Then there is the crush of a lifetime; Natalie Portman. My goodness, crushes come and go (Emma Stone this year), but Portman has had my heart for a long time. And she's all thonged out in this trailer which was awesome to say the least. Share your thoughts about this kooky comedy.

Quickie: Eastbound and Down season 2 teaser trailer

Kenny Powers aka Danny McBride is back b*tches! Ok, that was totally inappropriate, but that's how Kenny Powers talks. HBO's "Eastbound and Down" returns for Season 2 in September. This is just a teaser trailer to wet our appetites, but it's fine for now. If you have not seen this show yet, you're missing out, big time. McBride delivers as a washed-up major league baseball player, forced to move in with his brother and live a "normal" life as a substitute teacher. It's hilarious, and the fact that it's on HBO makes it even better! Check it out.

Kenny Powers Is Back In September

Sean Penn leaving The Three Stooges

Maybe you didn't even know this, but the Farrelly brothers are making The Three Stooges. The movie has been confirmed to star Sean Penn as Larry, Benicio Del Toro as Moe, and Jim Carrey as Curly... until today. Sean Penn has backed out of the film to be at home more. He and his wife (Robin Wright Penn) filed for divorce a few months ago, but retracted the filing and want to give their marriage another shot.

This is kind of sad news for me. I love the Farrelly brother's earlier work such as Dumb & Dumber and There's Something About Mary. But as of late, their really just making below par movies. The Heartbreak Kid was seriously one of the worst movies I've seen in a long time (minus Danny McBride). And Stuck on You was pretty bad as well. So I was curious what kind of movie this would become. They promised it wouldn't be a Bio-Pic ala Ray, or Walk the Line.

The other intriguing part of the movie is its choice in casting. When was the last time you saw Sean Penn do anything that was funny?... Fast Times at Ridgemont High? So to see him as a comedy act would have been against the grain. He always does these super intense dramas. Same goes for Del Toro. The only thing I've seen him do that could even be considered comedy is The Usual Suspects, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas way back in 1998. And Carrey playing Curly is fascinating! It's rumored the Farrelly brothers want him to gain 70 pounds for the role. Holy shmoly! That should be cool.

So, as of now, there are only 2... stooges that is. We'll keep you up to date with all the latest as the movie is re-cast.