Sam Carter
Staff reporter
IN THEATRES – ALL ABOUT STEVE (20th Century Fox)
Actors:
Sandra Bullock: Plays Mary Horowitz, a crossword puzzle maker who is very intelligent but lacks in the way of social skills.
Thomas Haden Church: Plays Hartman Hughes, a news reporter looking for a big break to bump him up to anchor.
Bradley Cooper: Plays Steve, the character Mary is obsessed with throughout the movie, who fears his kind-hearted stalker.
Plot:
Mary Horowitz goes on a blind date with Steve, a news cameraman. After being a bit forward, Steve takes off running. Mary then sets off on a journey to find her new love. She is always a step behind as Steve is constantly on the run and avoids her. But Hartman Hughes keeps her in the chase as he tries to torture his cameraman friend. Mary makes some misfit pals and finally tracks Steve down.
Acting/Direction:
This movie is a bit cheesy; the effects are laughable, but I guess that’s the point. Sandra Bullock plays a very odd character that makes you cringe every time she opens her mouth. This movie is like watching an I Love Lucy episode. You’re embarrassed and nervous for Mary the entire time. Thomas Haden Church is hilarious as the self-centered anchorman, and Bradley Cooper adds some good comedy as the scared prey of Mary.
Laugh Out Loud Moments:
This movie is funny, that’s it, no adverbs in front of it. The plot seems to be setup for many more laughs than it actually ends up achieving. The characters are funny and interesting, but they end up coming off as more awkward than funny.
Official poster.
DVD – ADVENTURELAND (Miramax)
Actors:
Jesse Eisenberg: Plays James Brennan, the main character who is forced to work at an amusement park for the summer.
Kristen Stewart: (the girl from Twilight) Plays Em Lewin a distraught 20-year-old who struggles with relationships and happiness.
Ryan Reynolds: Plays Mike Connell, the pedophile maintenance man at the amusement park who struggles with a failing marriage.
Plot:
James Brennan had plans of going to Europe the summer before he begins his
graduate school in New York, but his father gets laid off and the money is not available. In fact, he has to take on a summer job in his hometown of Pennsylvania. He joins the staff at a local amusement park called Adventureland, where he meets many new friends and tries to get rid of some old ones.
Acting/ Direction:
The advertising for this movie mentioned that this was from the makers of Superbad. The movie is set in the 80’s and deals with teen angst, so I figured it would be a carbon copy. I was wrong, this movie is much deeper and does a great job of portraying the times. The acting is ok; Kristen Stewart plays the same character as she did in Twilight, a sad misfit who fights authority and social norms.
Laugh Out Loud Moments:
You would think that a movie with Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader (of Saturday Night Live) would be hilarious. This could not be further from the truth. This movie is awkward and has some chuckle moments, but it takes on a morbid tone and focuses on a serious love story too much to be hilarious. The funniest laughs come from a guy getting punched in the groin repeatedly.
The Verdict:
Neither of these movies are blockbusters or must haves, nor will they even make it into my extensive DVD collection. They both fall short of expectations and leave you wishing they were done better. However, All About Steve is worth the price of admission, barely. Thus, this becomes the criteria for this weeks winner. If you have the extra cash and are dying to see a romantic comedy, then settle for this. Or order a pizza, sit at home and watch the season premieres on network TV this week.