Everything Must Go

I have watched quite a few movies lately as I have been consistently under the weather and have not reviewed any of them. We will attempt to begin the process of correcting that with a review of the under appreciated Will Ferrell movie from 2011 Everything Must Go.

Based on a Raymond Carver short story Why Don't You Dance. When one says based on, in this case they mean that there is an ever so slight similarity, mainly that both lead characters have a yard sale of their belongings. The story which I had recently read is much shallower in depth and understanding than the movie.

Will Ferrell plays Nick Halsey a salesman who is also an alcoholic. As the movie begins we see Nick being fired from his job for an incident that occurred on a business trip in Denver. After vandalizing his Supervisor's car on the way out of the parking lot and then stopping to buy beer on the way home Nick arrives home to find out that the locks have been changed and his belongings are all over the yard.

Nick settles in to his easy chair in the yard. The next morning when he goes to get more beer he returns to find his company car being repossessed. Life is getting worse. Soon the police show up and Nick when confronted with trouble has them call his sponsor in AA, a Frank Garcia, who is a detective. The detective comes by and gets Nick a three day ticket for a yard sale which will buy him sometime to figure things out.

Over the course of the next few days Nick develops a relationship with a young boy in the neighborhood who is apparently unsupervised for much of the day and a new neighbor across the street who has just moved in and is waiting for her husband to arrive. Along the way we learn more about Nick's relationship with his wife and his sponsor and how even that is not as simple as he might like it to be.

The movie did not do well, being a change of pace for Ferrell perhaps people did not get what they expected. That said Ferrell was cast perfectly in the role. Exceptionally believable as the typical frat boy turned professional but still drinking his life away, this man suddenly hit in the face with reality and the world of grown ups and not knowing how to handle it except to do what he has already done, crawl deeper into his immature ways and drink it away. Ferrell provides depth here one does not expect. One wonders if he ever will get a chance for a serious role or if he is so typecast that can never happen for him. If so it is a loss for as funny as he can be one gets the sense that there is much more talent in Ferrell than we expect in our physical comedians.

This is an interesting, sweet in its own way, dark in another way movie. It is not in anyway like any of the broad comedy one expects from Ferrell. Be warned and enjoy it for what it is.

The Return of Ron Burgandy?

For those of you reading this and who understand the significance of the question mark it is very likely that the news has found it's way to you already today. Last night on Conan O' Brien Ron Burgundy made a surprise announcement that a new movie will be released telling more of his life story.

Yes it is true. Will Ferrell, appearing as possibly his biggest character, Anchorman Ron Burgandy made a guest appearance with Conan last night. Playing his flute as he entered Burgandy wasted no time advisng Conan that he " looked awful " and looked like someone stuck " an orange wig on a skeleton."

As funny as that was we soon learned the real reason for the visit. Later this year the sequel will begin filming with a planned 2013 release. Sequels usually are not as good as the original. This movie however will have one thing going for it. Having such a cult following the movie has grown to have a large fan-base that the opening alone is all but guaranteed to be huge.

Ferrell is incredibly funny. He has, apparently no limits to what he will do for a laugh. Physical comedy is a specialty but Ferrell also does imitations, stereotypes and political humor. He has become what I call a big event comedian. His visits to a late night show are, for example, not ones to miss. Like Bill Murray on Letterman, Ferrell on Conan is a cannot miss. Who will ever forget his appearance as a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band leader on the last Conan episode at The Tonight Show.

Look forward to the movie and anytime you need a laugh check out Ferrell's website Funny or Die. You will always find something worth a laugh out loud.

The return of Ron Burgandy? One more reason for us all to love lamp.

Elf

While It's a Wonderful Life may help us to count our blessings what Elf does for us, year after year, is make us laugh.

We watched this right before Christmas with my daughter who loves this movie and can recite certain parts by heart. I knew we were in for it when she showed up with her Santa, I know him shirt.

For those few who have somehow missed this movie in it's constant airplay every December it tells the tale of Buddy the Elf played hilariously by Will Ferrell. Buddy is not an elf, years ago he crawled into a toy bag as Santa visited an orphanage and now as a full grown elf something is wrong. He towers above the other kids and he crushes his Dad, played by Bob Newhart, when he sits on his lap.

His elf father tells him his father is a businessman in New York. This man, played by James Caan, is on the naughty list. Buddy sets off to find him and has a host of adventures in the big city. He works at a store, meets a girl who sings like an angel ( Zooey Deschanel ) and becomes part of his father's new family. In the end Buddy saves Christmas and helps Santa played in this movie by Ed Asner.

This is a great family movie. There is nothing here to hide your kids from, no double entendres. This is a movie we can all enjoy. Will Ferrell is a joy in this role.

Anchorman

I laugh at Will Ferrell. I do not always feel intelligent doing so but I often laugh out loud.

Anchorman is a polarizing movie. It is in our house even. My former co-workers and I all having seen it found it to be one of the movies most used for quotes at the proper time.

These would include " Stay Classy", " I Love Lamp", " It's Science", " Loud Noises". and of course " Don't Pretend your not impressed".

By now most anyone who wants to has seen this movie. My wife says that she cannot even sit thru it, it is so dumb.

Dumb it is but with a humor that is just silly. As it was on TBS the other night we stopped and watched it. My boys who probably would do just as well not to hear so many penis jokes liked it.

The scene when Ron gets " excited" when talking to Christina Applegate's Veronica made my youngest son cry.

For me the memories of various times when my friends and I used the quotes were an added bonus.

So what is this movie. Smart? No but it is witty in places. Intelligent? No. Redeeming in anyway? No.

Funny? Yes and in places laugh out loud funny which for me is a true test.

Step Brothers

Finding myself home alone on a Friday night for a bit I watched this movie last night. I like Will Ferrell, I found his performance in Elf to be perfect and his Anchorman as one of the great quote movies I have seen.

This movie had moments of funny, and I did enjoy it. It was not a classic or anything like it. Most days I would be embarrassed to watch it with anyone I knew. My wife saw the last half hour with me and thought it was stupid. It was.

Crude, indecent with too much groin humor it was not something I would watch again or even something I would watch with my sons when they get older and chuckle over the submersive but talented vulgarity--think of Animal House or even Wedding Crashers. This movie was not that good. It just was not.

I still love Will Ferrell though

Will Ferrell on The Tonight Show

Watching Will Ferrell's rendition of Lynyrd Sknyrd on The Tonight Show made me again realize that Will Ferrell might be as close as we have to a national comedian right now. His gift for impersonation from Bush to well Skynyrd, his movies that do not alway work but when they do such as Elf and Anchorman become iconic. Add a few other characters such as Ricky Bobby, his SNL history and his Funny or Die clips and Will Ferrell is to me a must see actor.

His ability to do anything for a role to make it funny, he seemingly has no limits. Here is how I rate it. When I see Will Ferrell I do not flip. What more can you say.