Brüno: gone far, gone down
Man, I should really go and set up a to-do list on things I want to review. There are a dozen or so movies that I haven’t even mentioned yet but probably should, if only for my own peace of mind. But here’s the thing: time. I don’t have it. So I’ll just squeeze this in here and call it a music blog from now on.
Brüno
Brüno. Those who know me also know how much I loved Borat. I admire Sacha Baron Cohen for his ability to play it off like he was, in fact, the character he’s playing. And you know what, I think that guys actually crazy, a schizophrenic who has done a marvellous job on covering up his other side by pretending to be some sort of actor. It is insane. And Borat, as much as I cringed at the cliché of that person right there on the big screen, Borat made a fucking difference to my own intake of media and American society.
Yes, Borat was clever, witty and critical. Borat evoked reactions that are hard to believe for a person of average intelligence. That’s what I expected from Brüno, because no doubt, this was the intention of Cohen. At least I hope it was. Yet ultimatley, although I cried and screamed even harder at the sights of swinging penises and swinging couples, there was much less, if nothing of what I had clapped to after watching Borat.
Borat did rather naive things and documented the stupidity or credulity, sometimes even the honest hatred of men and women who didn’t know they were going to appear in a movie of international reach. Brüno- well, Brüno actually DID stupid things and earned rather… expected reactions. Nothing out of the ordinary. Say, for instance, that Ron Paul scene. What was so great about that? The dude felt uncomfortable getting hit on by a guy who is weird enough, even for an over-the-top gay Austrian man, what was he supposed to do when Brüno pulled down his pants to prepare Paul for a private sex tape? Should he have shaken his hand and thank him for the attention? He was furious, sure, he left rather abruptly and called Brüno a queer.
Big deal.
In fact, I was surprised Paul didn’t pull out a shotgun. That’s what I would’ve done. And Paul, he’s not even the center of attention! If anything, Ron Paul is a decent politician. Not my point of view (not even my country), but decent enough anyway.
Brüno felt like Scary Movie part 2 to infinity. It was more ridiculous than it’s precedor, it was maybe funnier, crasser, grosser, it was so much more of everything- except better. It wasn’t even close to Borat. It made me feel uncomfortable because there was, in fact, not much to criticize. While Borat knew how to pull out the racist of the people he ran into during the movie, Brüno was so annoying, he basically forced homophobia upon everyone who surrounded him (with a few exceptions; but I don’t think that Arkansas Rednecks are in any way representative of the US population in general).
Despite having failed its intentions in my eyes, I am still in absolute awe when it comes down to Cohens talent. Had I met Brüno for myself, I would have not known this was the same guy that did Borat two years ago. Seriously. Cohen is a genius, and I have never seen an actor – or rather, artist – so dedicated to a role. And I do recommend watching the movie, if not for the underlying criticism, at least for the good dose of apocalyptic embarrasement you get to share with everyone else in the theatre.
Zack & Miri Make A Porno
I’m sorry for the lack of updates. I was on holidays in Syria, where high-speed internet is still an illusion for the rich. Anyway, there wasn’t much to talk about either. Music was on halt, movies not many watched- but I’m back for you with the best movie I’ve seen in a long time.
Zack And Miri Make A Porno. This 2008 movie… I’m in awe. Kevin Smith is a genius, and I’m seriously in awe. You can say what you want about him and his movies – tasteless, not spectacular, whatever. But they’re always creative, funny and heart-warming. And then! Then there’s Seth Rogen in this movie! This chubby, not-bad-but-not-good looking guy is the man of my unsuperficial dreams. If humour and wit have sex appeal, then Seth Rogen is sexiest man alive for sure. But for those who can’t get enough: there’s still Elizabeth Banks, sharing the lead role with Rogen. Elizabeth Banks, for all the comedy friends out there, was on the cast for Scrubs in season 5, or 6, but definitely in 7. I love this woman. She has this instant-laugh appearance, she brightens my day. I know, this is supposed to be about the movíe, but see, the cast is what makes it so perfect! It’s even so good, I had to watch it twice in a row. EVEN JAY (FROM JAY AND SILENT BOB) IS ON THE CAST! WITH SHORT HAIR! AND HE’S ACTUALLY HOT!
So, let me tell you something about the plot of the movie. The two main characters Zack and Miri have always been just platonic friends, living together, sharing everything together. When they can’t pay their bills and end up without water, electricity and on the verge of being thrown out of their apartment, Zack has the glorious idea of making a porno flick to earn some good money. They cast the team, but of course there are many obstacles- that is, their friendship faces a problem when it comes to having sex with each other.
It is so funny to watch this movie, and to tell you more would just give some of the best parts away. Go ahead and watch it, it’s one of Smith’s finest works. No, there are no action scenes, nothing spectacular as I mentioned, but oh so enjoyable, and worthy of buying the DVD!
By the way: Those are 2 web catalogues I like:
Meet Bill
Me and my flatmate decided to have a relaxed evening and went to the video rental store to get some movies to watch. Since I used to work in a video store in my home town, it’s difficult for me to find something I haven’t watched yet. Usually I just take some new releases home, but now that I have to pay for each DVD I rent (no more staff bonus, sucker!), it’s a tough game to play.
Anyway, we chose Meet Bill, a 2007 movie starring Aaron Eckhardt and Jessica Alba. I didn’t expect it to be anything at all, but I do like Elizabeth Banks so I thought why not- better than spending another fifteen minutes looking for something. The Flatemate and me came to only one conclusion: This movie is awesome. I can’t really say more than that. It’s got some American Beauty influences, though less dramatic and more easy-going than that. Aaron Eckhart is great in his role. He plays somewhat of a loser character who, after being assigned to mentor a cheeky private school kid, figures out how to be great and independent of all the people around him.
The movie is fun and better than most of the crap that I’ve watched in the past. For everyone who enjoys a light drama with an a truthful message, this is for you. What I personally loved the most was the good taste proven by the movie producers and those responsible for the music. One of my favourite all-time tracks is played in one scene, which you can download here: Röyksopp – What Else Is There [savfile]
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