“New Year’s Eve”
Director Gary Marshall has experienced a case of déjà vu. Despite casting multiple Hollywood hunks and leading actresses in one film, 2010’s romantic comedy “Valentine’s Day” was welcomed to theaters by poor critic reviews. Fast forward to 2011, and Marshall’s “New Year’s Eve” experienced the same fate as its predecessor “Valentine’s Day.” While the film’s plot may be appealing to those who place excessive hype on the unofficial December holiday, the incessant examples of corny, mushy dialogue are almost too much to bear. Abigail Breslin’s character adds an enjoyable youth element to the plot, a role more enjoyable to watch than Taylor Swift’s immature cameo in “Valentine’s Day.” While all successful romantic comedies must include some elements of lovey-dovey sentiment, Marshall’s latest flick simply takes it too far.
“Just Go with It”
Judging from his recent film flops such as “Jack and Jill” and “Grown Ups,” it is clear that Adam Sandler’s humor has taken a noticeable dive since his “Happy Gilmore” and “Billy Madison” days. In “Just Go with It,” Jennifer Aniston plays Sandler’s work assistant who agrees to act as his ex-wife to keep up a lie Sandler’s character told his pretty blond girlfriend (Brooklyn Decker). The film is predictable, unoriginal and unbelievable. At 45, it is time for Sandler to stop playing the immature bachelor who miraculously attracts a beautiful 20-something. The film’s saving grace proves to be a few scenes that feature Eddie (Nick Swardson), who plays Sandler’s comedic childhood friend. Most disappointing is Oscar winner Nicole Kidman’s role as Aniston’s high school rival. Kidman successfully portrays a rude one-upper, but the film’s utter stupidity overshadows her A-List acting skills. Films such as “Spanglish” and “Reign Over Me” showcased Sandler’s dramatic acting skills, so perhaps it’s time the funnyman finally realized and embraced his middle age.
“Green Lantern”
Superhero flicks such as “Iron Man,” “The Dark Knight” and “Thor” have certainly raised the bar for future portrayals of comic book icons. While Ryan Reynolds looks good in almost anything, he proves that green is not his best color in the sci-fi action film “Green Lantern.” Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a test pilot who becomes a green, glowing superhero who must save the universe. While the film’s visual effects are admirable, the plot is inconsistent in tone. Reynolds jumps back and forth between real-life problems on Earth and fighting villains in outer space. Acting performances by Reynolds, Blake Lively, and Peter Sarsgaard, however, do not contribute to “Lantern’s” downfall. While Reynolds’ superhero performance did not earn him the same praise that Robert Downey, Jr. or Christian Bale received, one thing he did gain from the film was his new girlfriend, Blake Lively. With Reynolds’ “Safe House” releasing in theaters Feb. 10, he should certainly be able to redeem himself alongside Denzel Washington.
“What’s Your Number”
2011 was a solid year for comedies in film. Whether we were singing along to Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On” with the women of “Bridesmaids” or gawking at the sizzling chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” Hollywood didn’t disappoint. That is, until the disappointing Anna Faris-fronted comedy “What’s Your Number?” premiered in September. Ally Darling (Faris) questions her number of sexual partners and if any of them would have worked out as true, long-lasting love. Faris is a natural comedienne. Her performance in 2007’s “Smiley Face” is one of the great unheralded comedic performances of the last decade. However, Faris’s talents cannot save this mostly boring and uninteresting comedy. It does not help that the funniest moments in the film were previously shown in the trailer. Ari Graynor, hysterical in “Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” is given almost nothing to do here. Despite a premise with promise, “What’s Your Number?” prevents audiences from actually caring.
“The Hangover Part ll”
In 2009, “The Hangover” had audiences crying from laughter, thus dubbing Zach Galifianakis the new king of comedy. Nearly three years later, references to wolf packs and the “three best friends” are still just as funny. Naturally, Hollywood producers wanted to capitalize on the unbelievable hype from the first film, but unfortunately, “The Hangover Part ll” simply could not measure up to the hysterical and clever original. Consequently, the sequel’s major problems have nothing to do with the cast or its comedic timing. In fact, the film’s sole downfall is in its utter lack of plot creativity. Although the setting changes from Las Vegas to Bangkok, the entire plot is essentially identical to the original “Hangover.” At least in the first film, it was believable that Alan (Galifianakis) slipped roofies into everyone’s drinks. In the sequel, the “wolf pack” members black out once again, after roasting marshmallows which Alan secretly injects with muscle relaxers and ADHD medication. How believable. Despite the sequel’s complete mimicry of the original, “The Hangover Part ll” went on to become one of the highest grossing R-rated comedies. For a film with such high expectations, it may have succeeded in profit but failed in creativity.
