Ratings Key:
:):)Really Good/Highly Recommend :) Good :| Mediocre :\ Not good, but still fun :( Sucks
>:( A terrible waste of time
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"Conan O'Brien Can't Stop"
A documentary on Conan O'Brien's comedy tour of the U.S. and Canada after leaving his post at "The Tonight Show" after NBC decided to push him out of the prime-time slot. Part of his contractual obligation was that he was not to appear on television for six months, and several of the characters he and his writing team developed could no longer be used since they where deemed NBC property.
Can't Stop explores Conan's personal frustration about the NBC situation, as well as give us an in depth look at his "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On TV" tour. After personally being burnt by a frivolus publishing agency, I could connect with O'Brien's anger towards the NBC execs that canned him. As Conan put's it "sometimes Im so angry, I can't breath." For anyone that has suffered losing a job for no real reason will get some inspiration with O'Brien's always on the move attitude.
We follow CoCo and his team from the brainstorming sessions with his writing team, to what ultimately becomes his tour. Cameras capture everything from his hard time with being apart from his family, the inability to turn down meet and greets, to bouts of uncertainty about the tour's success. At point's he even seems a bit bi-polar, hurling very cruel jokes towards his staff and friends without even flinching. Only to becoming sincerely apologetic the next instance. But it soon becomes clear that the man has a real passion for what he does. He lives to entertain, and that's something he can't just turn off.
Verdict:
:)
"The Troll Hunter"
A trio of Norwegian students investigate a series of mysterious bear killings. Learning that the killings may be a cover up to something bigger, they start to follow a shady bear hunter named Hans - who is actually a troll hunter.
Part "Blair Witch", part "Cloverfield", Troll Hunter gives an unusual twist to the whole found footage craze. The build up to the big reveal of the trolls is handled quite well, and the reactions of the film team offer moments of amazement, suspense, and comic relief. The team follows Hans, documenting his task in hunting three different types of trolls. We see woodland trolls, bridge trolls, and the giant mountain troll. The look of the trolls themselves range from impressive looking to down right goofy at times. This is mostly attributed to the fact the creature design is very classic in it's depiction of the trolls. Big noses, hairy, and very ancient humanoid features.
The biggest thing I find confusing about Troll Hunter is the way it depicts it's own mythology. At first it seems to go with the more mythical aspects, like trolls being able to smell the blood of a christian man. Then it goes into depth explaining them scientifically as mere predators in the wild. The film does drag a bit in sections, but despite those imperfections, Troll Hunter still manages to be a decent flick.
Verdict:
:|
"Hobo With a Shotgun"
In the vain of "Machete", Hobo With A Shotgun takes one of the fake trailers in Tarentino's and Rodgrigazis "Grindhouse" and attempts to make a full length movie out of it. Rutger Hauer stars as the titular homeless fellow who stumbles into a town overrun by corrupt cops, abused prostitutes, armed robbers, and a pedo-bear Santa.
Such a horrible, horrible movie. It isn't even funny bad, like the b-rated films it's trying so hard to mock. Aside from Hauer pretty much everyone in this film is completely unlikeable. It's almost painful to watch Hauer sincerely try to construct a solid character around all of these bellow high school play level actors. The best way to describe the performances is as agonizing as reading a book IN ALL CAPS. Drake and his henchmen sons - "Slick" and "Ivan" punctuate every line of dialogue past corny into eye-rolling territory. Just because you can shout and scream everything does not make you a badass. It just makes you a dumbass.
Instead of the chessy/sleazy film the trailers seemed to promise, we have a lazy film. The plot becomes almost incoherent during the film's third act with a supernatural twist that comes out of nowhere. There is non of the satire that made the Troma, Roger Corman, or countless cult-classic B-movies what they were.
In the end - Hobo with a Shotgun is a sad attempt at what could have been a fun party movie.
Verdict:
>:(
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