LA LA LAND (2016)

Written & Directed By: Damien Chazelle 
Cinematography: Linus Sandgren 
Editor: Tom Cross 
Music By: Justin Hurwitz 

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, J.K. Simmons, Finn Wittrock, Callie Hernandez, Jessica Rothe, Sonoya Mizuno, Valarie Rae Miller, Tom Everett Scott 

Aspiring actress serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and jazz musician Sebastian scrapes by playing cocktail-party gigs in dingy bars. But as success mounts, they are faced with decisions that fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.

SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007)

Directed By: Sam Raimi 
Written By: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi & Alvin Sargent 
Screen Story By: Sam Raimi & Ivan Raimi 
Based On Characters Created By: Stan Lee & Steve Ditko 
Cinematography: Bill Pope 
Editor: Bob Murawski 


Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church, James Franco, J.K. Simmons, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rosemary Harris, James Cromwell, Theresa Russell, Dylan Baker, Bill Nunn, Elizabeth Banks, Ted Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Becky Ann Baker, Willem Dafoe, Cliff Robertson 


Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges arise for our young hero. Peter's old friend Harry Obsourne has set out for revenge against Peter; taking up the mantle of his late father's persona as The New Goblin, and Peter must also capture Uncle Ben's real killer, Flint Marko, who has been transformed into his toughest foe yet, the Sandman. All hope seems lost when suddenly Peter's suit turns jet-black and greatly amplifies his powers. But it also begins to greatly amplify the much darker qualities of Peter's personality that he begins to lose himself to. Peter has to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is to ever conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but also...himself

THE MEDDLER (2015)

Written & Directed By: Lorene Scafaria 
Cinematography By: Brett Pawlek 
Editor: Kayla M. Emter 


Cast: Susan Sarandon, Rose Byrne, J.K. Simmons, Jerrod Carmichael, Cecily Strong, Lucy Punch, Michael McKean, Billy Magnussen, Jason Ritter, Casey Wilson, Megan Echikunwoke, Amy Landecker, Harry Hamlin, Robert Picardo, Shiri Appleby, Laura San Giacomo, Roger Arron Brown, Randall Park, Bill Fagerbakke 


An aging widow from New York City follows her daughter to Los Angeles in hopes of starting a new life after her husband passes away.

JENNIFER'S BODY (2009)

Directed By: Karyn Kusama 
Written By: Diablo Cody 
Cinematography By: M. David Wallen 
Editor: Plummy Tucker 


Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Cynthia Stevenson, Chris Pratt, Kyle Gallner, Bill Fagerbakke

EXTRACT (2009)

Cast: Jason Batemen, Kristen Wiig, Dustin Milliagan, Ben Affleck, J.K. Simmons, Mila Kunis, Gene Simmons, Clifton Collins Jr., David Koechner, Hal Sparks, Tom Virtue

Written & Directed By Mike Judge
Cinematography By: Tim Shustedt
Editor: Julia Wong

No one quite does satire or the mundaness of life like mike judge. The fun of this movie is that like his show king of the hill it involves normal characters that see so real you could swear you know someone just like each of them but he then throws these characters into increasingly outrageous situations that are believable.

The comedy is dry and subtle which is why I liked this film so much. It’s a film to discover that never goes over the edge. it’s best if you not know what happens other then. Jason Batemen’s character owns a flavor extract company and is involved in a domino effect involving lawsuits, a con woman, and his best friend a bartender.

The film is pretty cut, dry and simple it’s entertaining but not something you remember too much longer after watching it. I nice slice of life that is a good time passer. That is Funnier the more you think about it. It just never really reaches a tone or settles on a point of what it all means. It just seems random no center almost like it is meant to be a character study that is supposed to be about the workers of this factory but just becomes about Jason Bateman and his challenges.

It’s a return to form for the director as this is another workplace comedy this time it is seen more from the boss’s point of view and instead of cubicles this takes more of a look at a factory setting. What works for mike judge is that he writes movies with characters that you feel like you have meet or known in your life.

Ben Affleck returns to the screen in a role more suited for him. The supporting role the comic relief instead of the leading man can do no wrong type characters. It reminds me of his comic roles in movies like DAZED & CONFUSED

The problem with the film is that one of the main reasons things happen in this film is that Bateman’s character is trying to make a deal to sell his company. Everything that happens threatens to mess up the deal so he has to straighten things up. It drives the events of the film but is treated as a second thought then a real problem. Almost like another side story that is not interesting.

Jason Bateman’s Character is neurotic and exaggerated as a person in his position would be that you can understand if this was another filmmaker’s movie but since this is a mike judge film it seems not to fit in the laid back characters and world of this movie. In fact during this movie nothing feels like it is on the line it all feels random and inconsequential staying true to the films laid back nature


GRADE: C+