The Couch Potato Report – December 7th, 2013
I begin this week, not with a Canadian movie…as I usually do…but with a Canadian character.
We didn’t know much about Wolverine when he first debuted in Marvel comics in 1974, other than the fact that he was a superhuman agent of the Canadian government.
Eventually Wolverine would go on to be ranked Number One on Wizard magazine’s list of Top 200 Comic Book Characters of all time, and he would be played on-screen by Hugh Jackman in six, soon to be seven, films. The seventh X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED will be released next May, and the sixth one – THE WOLVERINE – is available to watch at home right now.
In THE WOLVERINE, Logan travels to Japan to say goodbye to an old friend and ends up losing his immortality and battling deadly samurai, along with his own inner demons.
I am a huge fan of this character, and I have enjoyed all of the films he’s been in – yes, even the less-than-stellar X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE. This new one doesn’t finish as strong as it starts, but there are some great action scenes and it has an interesting story. Plus, Hugh Jackman is tremendous in the role, as always, and the return of Famke Janssen as Jean Grey gives the film some extra dramatic weight.
I really enjoyed THE WOLVERINE and can easily recommend it to others who have also seen the other films in the series. No, you don’t need to see those other movies to enjoy this one, but it does help.
And for those looking forward to Logan’s next cinematic adventure…don’t miss the bonus scene a few minutes into the credits!!
Let me tell you about Luke and Kate now. They are co-workers at a micro-brewery in Chicago and they spend most of their time together drinking and flirting. They seem perfect for each other, and they seem to know it, except for the fact that they’re both in committed relationships with people who also seem perfect for them.
We soon learn that their committed relationships aren’t perfect, but Luke’s girlfriend is content to wait for him to grow up and ask her to marry him.
Unfortunately for Kate, her boyfriend breaks up for her…leaving the door wide open for Kate and Luke to get together.
The will they or won’t they dynamic is present in DRINKING BUDDIES, but as it goes on you realize that – although they are perfect for each other – maybe Luke is perfect for his girlfriend too.
And within that fact lies the cinematic dilemma at hand.
DRINKING BUDDIES is a little slow at times, but it doesn’t always go where you think it will, and it has a great cast that includes Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston.
I like the characters they play and I enjoyed the film, so let me recommend DRINKING BUDDIES to you.
I wish I could also recommend THE SMURFS 2, and I don’t mean as well, I mean THE SMURFS…Number 2, as in the second big screen mix of live action and animation featuring the lovable little blue characters created in 1958 by Belgian comics artist Peyo.
I wish I could, but it just isn’t any fun.
The first Smurfs film released in 2011 was fun. It wasn’t perfect, but it was fun. This movie is not fun. The animation is still great, but the movie is no fun as the little characters and their human friends Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays work to save Smurfette, who has been kidnapped in Paris by Gargamel.
Little kids might like THE SMURFS 2, and it was created for kids, after all, but you don’t need to stay in the room when they watch it. It is safe for them, but harmful to you as you won’t enjoy it.
Adults, skip it, kids, Smurf it up!!
Finally this week I’ve just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. And I need all of you to stop what you’re doing and listen!
Ron Burgandy – as played by Will Ferrell – is the lead character in the spectacular 2004 comedy ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY and with the sequel ANCHORMAN 2: THE LEGEND CONTINUES due in theatres on Wednesday, December 18th, the new UNRATED RICH MAHOGANY EDITION of ANCHORMAN is now available for us to watch, and enjoy all over again.
This edition comes in an oversized box with a booklet, some collectible cards, and two different cuts of the film. There is also a second disc that has the spin-off movie called ‘Wake Up, Ron Burgundy’, made up of footage cut from the original film, and a whole boatload of special features.
I loved this story of a seventies newsman and his news team from the first moment I saw a trailer for the film, and I can’t wait to see what happens as they move into the eighties in the new one.
In the meantime, let me recommend to you the UNRATED RICH MAHOGANY EDITION of ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY.
The great ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY, starring Will Ferrell, Steve Carell and Paul Rudd; the great – only for little kids – sequel THE SMURFS 2, adults, stay away; the grown up comedic dram DRINKING BUDDIES and the enjoyable Summer action film THE WOLVERINE, starring Hugh Jackman as the Canadian mutant, are all available now, either on disc or on demand.
Hey, coming up in the next Couch Potato Report, Gru and the minions are back in DESPICABLE ME 2!!
For now, that’s this week’s COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you back here again next time on The Couch!