LeapBackBlog 2015 Film Awards

2015 was a fantastic year for film. There were so many good films that many that I really liked could not make the top 25 (and even more wonderful performances did not make the top 25 performances). I have put an “*” next to my personal favorite from each category.

Favorite 25 Films of 2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron, an action adventure drama directed by Joss Whedon – Trailer

Beasts of No Nation, a coming of age/war drama directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga – Trailer

The Big Short, a character drama/financial drama/comedy directed by Adam McKay – Trailer

Blackhat, a thriller directed by Michael Mann – Trailer

Bridge of Spies, a spy drama directed by Steven Spielberg – Trailer

Brooklyn, a romance drama directed by John Crowely – Trailer

Carol, a romance drama directed by Todd Haynes – Trailer

Creed, a sports drama directed by Ryan Coogler – Trailer

The End of Tour, a character drama directed by James Ponsoldt – Trailer

Ex Machina, a sci-fi drama directed by Alex Garland – Trailer

The Hateful Eight, a western directed by Quentin Tarantino – Trailer

Inside Out, a coming of age comedy directed by Pete Docter – Trailer

Joy, a character drama/bio-pic directed by David O. Russell – Trailer

Macbeth, a period drama directed by Justin Kurzel – Trailer

Mad Max: Fury Road, an action adventure drama by George Miller – Trailer

The Martian, a sci-fi drama directed by Ridley Scott – Trailer

The Revenant, a western thriller directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu – Trailer

Room, a character drama directed by Lenny Abrahamson – Trailer

Sicario, a crime drama directed by Denis Villeneuve – Trailer*

Spectre, a spy action adventure directed by Sam Mendes – Trailer

Spotlight, a drama directed by Tom McCarthy – Trailer

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a sci-fi fantasy adventure directed by J.J. Abrams – Trailer

Steve Jobs, a character drama directed by Danny Boyle – Trailer

Tomorrowland, a sci-fi fantasy adventure drama directed by Brad Bird – Trailer

Trainwreck, a romantic comedy directed by Judd Apatow – Trailer

Favorite 25 Performances of 2015

Christian Bale, a leading performance in The Big Short

Cate Blanchett, a leading performance in Carol

Emily Blunt, a leading performance in Sicario

Marion Cotillard, a leading performance in Macbeth

Matt Damon, a leading performance in The Martian

Paul Dano, a leading performance in Love & Mercy

Leonardo DiCaprio, a leading performance in The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, a leading performance in Macbeth*

Michael Fassbender, a leading performance in Steve Jobs

Tom Hanks, a leading performance in Bride of Spies

Tom Hardy, a supporting performance in The Revenant

Samuel L. Jackson, a leading performance in The Hateful Eight

Brie Larson, a leading performance in Room

Jennifer Lawrence, a leading performance in Joy

Jennifer Jason Leigh, a supporting performance in The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara, a leading performance in Carol*

Eddie Redmayne, a leading performance in The Danish Girl

Daisy Ridley, a leading performance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Saoirse Ronan, a leading performance in Brooklyn

Jason Segel, a leading performance in The End of the Tour

Sylvester Stallone, a supporting performance in Creed

Kristen Stewart, a supporting performance in Clouds of Sils Maria

Alicia Vikander, a leading performance in Ex Machina

Alicia Vikander, a leading performance in The Danish Girl

Kate Winslet, a supporting performance in Steve Jobs

Favorite 25 Artistic, Technical & Aesthetic Achievements

Adam Arkapaw, cinematography for Macbeth

Carter Burwell, composer for Carol

Roger Deakins, cinematography for Sicario

Jack Fisk, production design for The Revenant

Cary Joji Fukunaga, cinematography for Beasts of No Nation

Dennis Gassner, production design for Spectre

Colin Gibson, production design for Mad Max: Fury Road*

Todd Haynes, directing for Carol

Hoyte Van Hoytema, cinematography for Spectre

Alejandro G. Inarritu, directing for The Revenant

Johan Johannsson, composer for Sicario*

Jed Kurzel, composer for Macbeth

Edward Lachman, cinematography for Carol

Emmanuel Lubezki, cinematography for The Revenant*

Arthur Max, production design for The Martian

George Miller, directing for Mad Max: Fury Road

Ennio Morricone, composer for The Hateful Eight

Thomas Newman, composer for Spectre

John Seale, cinematography for Mad Max: Fury Road

Francois Seguin, production design for Brooklyn

Steven Spielberg, directing for Bridge of Spies

Quentin Tarantino, directing for The Hateful Eight

Yohei Taneda, production design for The Hateful Eight

Denis Villeneuve, directing for Sicario*

John Williams, composer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A Few More Fun, Entertaining and Interesting Smaller Films You Might Have Missed from 2015

’71, a thriller directed by Yann Demange – Trailer

Clouds of Sils Maria, a character drama directed by Olivier Assayas – Trailer

The Danish Girl, a period character drama directed by Tom Hooper – Trailer

Dope, a comedy directed by Rick Famuyiwa – Trailer

Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, a documentary directed by Alex Gibney – Trailer

It Follows, a horror thriller directed by David Robert Mitchell – Trailer

Love & Mercy, a character drama directed by Bill Pohlad – Trailer

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, a dramedy directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon – Trailer

Slow West, a western directed by John Maclean – Trailer

What We Do in the Shadows, a horror comedy directed by Jemaine Clement & Taika Waititi – Trailer

Good Films I Have Yet to See (that probably would have factored into the above lists)

99 Homes, a drama directed by Ramin Bahrani

The Hunting Ground, a documentary directed by Kirby Dick

Son of Saul, a period war drama directed by Laszlo Nemes

Suffragette, a period drama directed by Sarah Gavron

This Is 40 (2012) – Review

Review: This Is 40 combines very funny comedy with well-developed characters and strong dramatic moments. The film is about married couple Pete and Debbie. They have been married for about fourteen years and have a seemingly comfortable life, but troubles at work and at home begin to fray their relationship.

Writer-director Judd Apatow is known for his brand of comedy – mixing crude ‘R’ rated jokes, usually derived in an improvisational manner, with heartfelt drama and strong characters. This Is 40 in many ways is the culmination of his style. It has numerous scenes of fantastic comedy and big laughs, ranging from realistic to over-the-top (as jokes are exaggerated for comedic effect), but it all works. And, it also has what is ultimately very realistic feeling drama, focusing on domestic issues that the audience can relate to. Pete and Debbie might as well be real people the audience knows, that is how authentic their drama feels and is presented.

This results in two reactions. Either way viewers will relate to the drama and characters, however for some viewers it will be too much, too realistic and cutting. Cinema is still viewed as an escape, and a mainstream ‘comedy’ like This Is 40 is often viewed as something that should not have material that will bring the audience back into their own lives asking them to relate by looking at the highs and lows in their own relationships – it is supposed to be an escape and just make them laugh. The film is too good a drama in this sense and thus for viewers that just want to laugh it might hit too close to home, as even though Pete and Debbie essentially only have ‘white-people problems’ (and yuppie white people at that) the deeper drama is universal. However, for viewers that enjoy being completely emotionally engaged, the film works quite well showcasing the ups and downs of life and the struggles people go through to make their relationship work.

While Pete and Debbie struggle in their relationship with each other, their kids, and their parents, most of the supporting characters outside their family are there primarily to provide comedy. Apatow has put together a wonderful group of very funny people (like with all his films) and they deliver hilarious material. Viewers who enjoy Apatow’s brand of humor will not be disappointed. This is a very funny film, even with all the drama. Plus, the ending very much makes it a comedy in the classical sense.

Narratively speaking, Apatow’s films have often been criticized for being overly long and over indulgent in the material left in – in other words he is not an economical storyteller, which is an important component of good Hollywood filmmaking. This Is 40 is no different. It really just amounts to a snapshot taken from Pete and Debbie’s life. Yes, there is a deep emotional and dramatic significance to the drama, as they are at a crossroads, but the film does not leave the audience feeling life everything will be happy forever after. There will still be highs and lows, but for now they are okay – in a better place in their relationship than when the film starts. Thus, the film works more as dramatic experience (which also happens to be very funny) than a more straightforward narrative story. The viewer takes in the drama, relates to it, and takes something away from the experience.

This will also have one of two results for the viewer. It will either feel too loose and rambling, as if Apatow merely shot a bunch of footage and then found some semblance of a story in editing but did not want to lose any of the jokes or performances so he over stuffed it. Or, it will resonate with the viewer as a dramatic journey, again showcasing the ups and downs in Pete and Debbie’s relationship(s).

Despite Apatow’s filmmaking style, and how it seems to somewhat be moving further away from typical comedic narrative filmmaking, This Is 40 is both a very funny comedy and an in depth and emotionally true look at marriage that entertains and dramatically engages its audience (something few comedies achieve).

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Judd Apatow has now directed four films, each straddling a difficult tonal line between comedy and drama. His first two films (The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) clearly felt like comedies, but with good dramatic moments and characters (again, his trademark). But, his last two films (Funny People and This Is 40) have come much closer to being dramas, and in many ways are as the characters and their issues outweigh the jokes. Viewers (steered by marketing) go into these films expecting comedies but are met with character-based dramas that also happen to be really funny and have happy endings. This seems to be splitting opinion much more, as many just want funny movies not character pieces, while others recognize what Apatow is doing with his films and appreciate them for what they are (something different and interesting). I for one really enjoy what he is doing with his films and look forward to his next.

Jon Brion’s score works to accentuate the dramatic shifts in the film, while Apatow also greatly uses a good soundtrack to strong effect. Phedon Papamichael’s cinematography is very good as well. The film is shot in a very straightforward fashion, but visually everything looks great. Jefferson Sage’s production design is used to ground the characters in reality, but Sage also has fun with some of the sets (like Pete’s office, which looks like a rock nerd’s fantasy).

The film is very well acted with a great and very funny supporting cast. Jason Segel’s, Chris O’Dowd’s, and especially Melissa McCarthy’s (who is hysterical) performances standout among the smaller supporting roles. Megan Fox is also surprisingly good in her supporting part. Albert Brooks is great in support, capturing the essence of the film, playing Pete’s father to both be funny and dramatically compelling. This is the third time Apatow has used his own daughters (Maude and Iris Apatow) in his films, but never with so much dramatic responsibility. They are both fantastic, and casting ‘real’ young actors in the roles would not have been an improvement. Paul Rudd is wonderful in the film. He gives Pete such a carefree cool vibe, but underneath there is so much stress and worry that just eat away at him boiling up when he can no longer bare it. Rudd also has perfect comedic timing. However, it is probably Leslie Mann who steals the film. Debbie just wants to have the perfect life and she tries to control everything around her to make it so, but this leaves her perpetually disappointed and ultimately unhappy. She just seems so frustrated all the time, but desperately wants to be happy.

Summary & score: This Is 40 is not going to work for everyone. It is not just a funny comedy, but also a cutting character drama. For those it does work for, it is a wonderful experience full of hilarious comedy and emotionally resonate drama. 8/10

TV Series of the Month – Undeclared

This month’s TV series is Undeclared (2001-2002).

The comedy is about six freshmen starting college, and all the fun and strange experiences that come with that. After working as a producer on Freaks and Geeks, Judd Apatow created this show, which like Freaks and Geeks only lasted one season despite being really funny and good. The show served as a launching point for a number of Hollywood’s current comedic writers and directors like Seth Rogen (doing his first writing), Nicholas Stoller, Jay Chandrasekhar (who had also just directed Super Troopers), John Hamburg, and Greg Mottola. It featured Jay Baruchel, Carla Gallo, Charlie Hunnam, Monica Keena, Seth Rogen, Tim Sharp, and Loudon Wainwright III as series regulars. Jason Segel, Kevin Hart, Jenna Fischer, Kevin Rankin, Kyle Gass, David Krumholtz, Samm Levine, Busy Philipps, Martin Starr, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell, Amy Poehler, Ben Stiller, Sarah Hagen, Allen Covert, Mike White, Fred Willard, Felicia Day, Geoffrey Arend, Simon Helberg, and many more have reoccurring to cameo roles in the series as well. Undeclared works as both a sitcom about a bunch of college freshman studying, falling in love, doing homework, coping with being on their own and classwork, and lots of other typical college stuff, and a great comedy with unique and interesting characters. It is a shame that Fox did not trust the show enough to see it through, cancelling it during its first season. It is a must-see for fans of good comedy sitcoms and Apatow’s work. Check out the trailer.

Available on DVD

The Five-Year Engagement (2012) – Review

Review: The Five-Year Engagement is a different kind of romantic comedy, as it tries to present much more authentic characters and situations while also commenting on the expectations of couples who have grown up with the myth precipitated by typical romantic comedies. In its humor, it is both grounded and absurd (sometimes at the same time). The film is about Tom and Violet, a couple who gets engaged but life keeps getting in the way of them actually getting married and (as the title suggests), their engagement is dragged out, with each questioning whether they really are right for each other and should get married. Writer-star Jason Segel and writer-director Nicholas Stoller have structured the film in a much different fashion than almost any other in the genre, allowing the characters to be fleshed out much more than the genre usually has time for. While there is a loose overarching three act structure, Stoller and Segel present the film in a more episodic manner detailing the evolution of Tom and Violet’s relationship at different points in time – the happiness and love, but also the frustration and anxiety. The structure goes in the face of everything the audience typically expects from a romantic comedy, which is usually mapped out so specifically that the viewer knows what to expect with each plot point before even watching the film. This is not the case at all with The Five-Year Engagement (I honestly did not know if they would stay together or not, which is amazing given how overly predictable rom-coms are). In fact, the film begins where most romantic comedies end – with two people deciding they are perfect for each other, utterly in love and want to be together forever. It tells the story of what happens after that – sometimes happy, sometimes sad, a little messy, and a lot of work. Stoller and Segel do a wonderful job with the principal characters (they reportedly revamped each character with the actor set to play them, once cast), as they feel much more authentic and their drama more real than anything viewers typically see in the genre. They are very relatable and the viewer cares about them as a result. This authenticity is the most charming aspect (and maybe the best part) of the film, as it is so refreshing, charting the challenge and chaos that is life and love. In many ways, the film is also looking at the myth that romantic comedies have championed pertaining to relationships and finding ‘true love’, pulling it down and retorting with a much more accurate and unveiled account of what relationships are like. But, this is a romantic comedy all the same after all, and as such is still infused with those zany somewhat over-the-top sequences, goofy supporting characters and a few other genre mainstays that the genre has always demanded (especially in the third act) – and really these genre conventions are to an extent part of the fun and appeal. Overall, however, the film breathes new life into a genre that has perpetually turned out generic and abject emotionally staged and false narratives for some time now (with the odd great film – like Stoller and Segel’s last rom-com Forgetting Sarah Marshall). Humor wise, this film is funny, but odd. The narrative is mostly driven by dramatic and emotional moments, and characters that are struggling. However, this is a comedy, and thus is inundated with gags, many of which are very funny. The best humor in the film generates from the situations and characters organically, while the stuff, while still mostly funny, that does not work quite as well is of a more absurdist nature (and I say absurdist because this is a film steeped in reality and yet there are a few moments that are built around jokes that seem out there, like the dinner between Tom, Violet and Violet’s sister and her husband in which they are eating deer, using deer-bone utensils – it is almost like an absurdist dramatization of how Tom feels, as he is very unhappy at the point the scene takes place in the narrative, yet happening in reality). Whether using somewhat inane humor as a projection of internal torment juxtaposed to the reality the film mostly features was a narrative choice or not is unknown, but these gags sort of stick out as they seem to not be quite in the right film, though (again) they are still funny, and even maybe work a little. As a comedy, the film is very funny mixing crude humor (both sight gags and situational comedy) with typical joke areas found in the genre. Like most Judd Apatow productions, The Five-Year Engagement both has heart and R-rated humor. And like many of his produced films, it goes beyond the typical overly generic genre dynamics and presents a fresh take (in this case in terms of presenting real characters and drama).

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel have now made three films together (four, if you count Get Him to the Greek, which Segel co-produced and wrote songs for but was not too creatively involved in), the other two being Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Muppets. They make a good team, especially with their romantic comedies bringing a great sense of humor and relatable characters. I look forward to their next entry in the genre. Composer Michael Andrews scores the film well, matching the light and more dramatic tones. Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe’s work is fairly standard for the genre, but that being said this is one of the better shot and visually beautiful films within the genre. Julie Berghoff’s production design is great, and she seems to have some fun with the juxtaposition of San Francisco and Ann Arbor as well. The evolution of the set design accentuates where the characters are in the narrative. As with most romantic comedies, much of this film’s success comes down to its characters and performances. Among the actors with small bit parts, Jacki Weaver, Lauren Weedman, Mindy Kaling, Randall Park, and Chris Parnell stand out. Rhys Ifans and Dakota Johnson are also good in supporting roles. However, Chris Pratt and Alison Brie almost steal (if not do steal) the film. Pratt, playing a more aware version of his Parks and Recreation character, has a lot of funny stuff; and Brie is brilliant as Violet’s impulsive and emotionally eruptive sister (she has some of the best stuff in the film – from her toast at the engagement party to her Elmo and Cookie Monster talk with Violet). Jason Segel has his character down pat – a lovable nice, sometimes awkward guy who seemingly could not be mean even if he tried. Here, Segel has a lot of emotional drama to play and does so very well, while still making the audience laugh. Emily Blunt is as good at comedy as she is at drama. In this film she gets to do some of both, and is fantastic on both accounts.

Summary & score: The Five-Year Engagement is a romantic comedy that dares to be different and authentic in its portrayal of love and life. 8/10

Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2012) – Review

Review: Jeff, Who Lives at Home is funny and dramatic, and while it is a non-secular dramedy it seemingly plays as almost a spiritual piece. The film is about Jeff, a slacker who lives in his mom’s basement thing to figure out what his purpose in life is. He gets a wrong number call in the morning that sets him off on a journey following what he believes to be signs from the universe pertaining to his purpose. He runs into his brother Pat who suspects his wife is cheating on him, and Jeff and Pat merge their efforts (not to give too much away). Before delving into the narrative too much, the visual style that writer-directors Jay and Mark Duplass employ adds nothing to the film, and if anything is distracting and annoying (though, here, it is nowhere near as prevalent or awful as with their last film Cyrus). The constant quick zooms in or out, simulating some sort of amateurish documentary style greatly detract from everything else going on in the film (i.e. the performances, the tone, the other aesthetics; and while I am not certain, they even look as though they were added in post). It is one thing to implement an aesthetic touch that serves the narrative or tone of the film; it is another to just do it because that is your style regardless of narrative or tone, serving nothing, contributing nothing and being pointless. The Duplass Brothers’ visual style feels pointless and hurts their films. That tangent aside, the Duplass Brothers seem to approach the character of Jeff and his journey of self-discovery from almost a spiritual place. Without pegging any one set of beliefs, Jeff seems to believe he is given signs from the universe telling him where to go, but the Duplass Brothers make it a point that Jeff still has to make the decisions once he gets their – as if the universe is nudging him in a certain direction, but Jeff must choose how to act. And through this journey, Jeff to some degree finds himself, but more so he helps others around him (the basketball player, his brother Pat and his wife Linda, his mother, and Kevin). The Duplass Brothers easily could have wound up with something that felt very hooky, but they writer Jeff to be warm and likable (also this is due to Jason Segel’s great performance) which makes his actions and motivations feel real. The audience likes Jeff and thus is behind him on his journey. Jeff’s warmth stands out as well as the other characters are all disillusioned, disheartened and disenchanted – basically, they are stuck in neutral just plodding forward void of true connection or meaning. They need someone to jumpstart them, and this is where Jeff comes in (though, as a slacker 30-year old who lives in his mother’s basement, Jeff seems the unlikely hero). Jeff, Who Lives at Home is a feel good film that makes the audience care about its characters and may even have them thinking about their own lives and what they are doing with them, but it is tripped up a bit by some of the Duplass Brother’s pointless visual aesthetics and some slow pacing (even though the film is only 82 minutes long).

Technical, aesthetic and acting achievements: I thought the Duplass Brothers would realize that their quick zooms only detract from their films after Cyrus, I was wrong. They are otherwise good directors and I have to believe will outgrow it. Producer Jason Reitman’s influence is felt on the film, as Jeff’s narrative journey feels aligned with his own work, being one of self-discovery, while still seemingly left largely unchanged at the end. The work of composer Michael Andrews, cinematographer Jas Shelton and production designer Chris Spellman all essentially places the narrative in the real world – unflashy, just average and normal. Jeff, Who Lives at Home is built on its performances and dialogue. Rae Dawn Chong, much like Segel’s performance, brings a lot of warmth to the film. She is another entity that tries to insight change in the mundane live of Sharon (Jeff’s mother). Susan Sarandon is very good as Sharon. She seemingly has completely given up hope and yet desperately wants to be rescued from her own life. Judy Greer plays Linda as someone fed up, grasping at anything to feel something. It is another good small supporting performance from her (as she was also great in The Descendants in 2011). Ed Helms plays Pat as sort of a darker version of his The Office character Andy. Pat is a bit clueless; and much like Linda, he just wants to feel something again. Segel gives the best performance of the film. His opening monologue is some of his best work to date – emotionally intense but still with an overtone of this likable average relaxed cool guy.

Summary & score: Jeff, Who Lives at Home offers its audience a few laughs, some good dramatic moments and maybe even something profound. 7/10 

TV Series of the Month – Freaks and Geeks

This month’s TV series is Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000).

The comedy is about the outcasts of high school society, taking place in the 1980s. The show focuses on the Weir family. Lindsay Weir, who has always been a stellar student, is disenfranchised and falls in with the burnout kids (freaks), while her younger brother Sam is a freshman and is having a tough time fitting in thanks primarily to his best friends being very nerdy (geeks). The show was created by Paul Feig (who has also worked as one of the main creative forces behind The Office and became a known name in 2011 directing Bridesmaids) and executively produced by Judd Apatow (who has since become the main producers in current cinematic comedy, and he also produced Bridesmaids). The cast is fantastic featuring many now famous comedians. Linda Cardellini and John Francis Daley star, and James Franco, Samm Levine, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Becky Ann Baker, Joe Flaherty, and Busy Philipps round out the principal cast. The show also has a ton of great guest stars/cameos, including: Sarah Hagan, Dave Allen, Thomas F. Wilson, Ben Foster, Samaire Armstrong, Rashida Jones, Shia LaBeouf, David Koechner, Kevin Corrigan, Jason Schwartzman, David Krumholtz, Lizzy Caplan, Leslie Mann, Allen Covert, Mike White, and Ben Stiller. Like an alarmingly high number of fantastic shows, Freaks and Geeks was cancelled after its first season. But, it still is one of the best comedy and high school series and a must-see for fans of either genre. It really speaks to its viewers and even if you did not go to high school during the 1980s the stories are very relatable. Check out the trailer.

Available on DVD

Movie of the Week – Forgetting Sarah Marshall

This week’s movie is Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008).

The comedy (rom-com) is about Peter, a man who just got his heart broken by his long-time and famous girlfriend Sarah. He decides to take a vacation to Hawaii to help him get over her, but much to his surprise and dismay she is staying at the same hotel as him with her new man. The film is written by Jason Segel (who also stars) and directed by Nicholas Stoller (who have since made Get Him to the Greek, The Muppets and Five-Year Engagement upcoming in 2012 together). Segel and Stroller worked with producer Judd Apatow, composer Lyle Workman, cinematographer Russ T. Alsobrook, and production designer Jackson De Govia on the film. The cast is brilliant with performances from Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand (who had a breakthrough in America due to this film), Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer, Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, and Kristen Wiig (in the extended edition) along with Segel. The film is very funny (among my favorites of the decade). It works so well thanks to Segel’s sense of humor and overall likability and charisma. It also has wonderful supporting characters. While there have been a lot of great R-rated comedies in recent years (many from Judd Apatow, as producer and director), this is my favorite. It is a must-see for fans of romantic comedies and R-rated comedies. Check out the trailer.

Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Streaming

The Muppets (2011) – Review

Review: The Muppets is funny, warm and a good welcome back to a lot of our childhood friends. The film takes place long after the Muppets’ fame peaked, finding them spread across the country and their studio in shambles. Lifelong fans Gary, Mary and Walter discover an evil plot by businessman Tex Richman to destroy the Muppet Studio for good, and so they set out to reunite the Muppets and save the studio. The creative team of director James Bobin and writers Jason Segel (who also stars) and Nicholas Stoller are clearly huge fans of the Muppets and their love of the characters and material is evident in the film (as it is very referential and nostalgic to both the past Muppet movies and television show), but they are not afraid to bring their own jokes and style as well. It is probably best classified as a family film as the jokes hit a broad spectrum but are all safe and geared towards a family audience (much like all the other Muppets films/TV) – but it has the special property of inspiring joy and even wonder in its adult audience members (be it the nostalgia or the characters/story) eliciting a positive emotional response for all its viewers. It is hard not to enjoy the film – from the fantastic musical numbers (which are probably the highlight of the film) to the fun celebrity cameos. However, the stars of the film are the Muppets themselves (especially Kermit). Yet, this is where a structural issue arises. There are almost too many principle characters (Gary, Walter, Mary, Kermit, et al.), and thus Bobin has to switch narrative tracks multiple times to try to flesh out each character and their story (journey). He is not quite able to do this seamlessly, leading to the film dragging a little in the middle and some characters being marginalized (particularly and sadly Mary). We care about all the characters, but the narrative stream of each character is continuously interrupted. Bobin gets the tone, look and feel completely right (and the jokes – The Moopets, all the stuff with Jack Black in the theatre, breaking the fourth wall, human Walter/Muppet Gary, Kermit dissing Rico Rodriguez and many more). The pacing, however, is not quite as fluid as it needed to be for this to be a great film. A lot is great and really works about The Muppets, ultimately making it a good film, but pacing and structural problems hold it back. That said, young kids and fans will probably love it even so.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: James Bobin makes his feature debut with The Muppets and it is clear that he was the right person to take on the characters, working with Stroller and Segel. I am interested to see what he does next (as right now I imagine him making films similar to Michel Gondry). The soundtrack is fantastic (and the highlight for me) with both new songs written by Segel and Bret McKenzie (chief among them Man or Muppet and Life’s a Happy Song) and classics from the Muppet canon. Christophe Beck’s score is fitting and works well in the background, but is completely overshadowed by the songs. Don Burgess’s cinematography is very colorful and bright, and production designer Steve Saklad’s work is good as well particularly his sets for The Muppet Studio and Kermit’s House. The Muppet voice actors are all wonderful, the celebrity cameos are all fun and the cast is good. Peter Linz (the voice of Walter) and Steve Whitmire (the voice of Kermit and a few others) standout among the Muppet voice actors. Rashida Jones is good in her small supporting role. Chris Cooper is a little uneven as the film’s villain, but is good when it counts in the end. Amy Adams is very underutilized but wonderful (as usual) when she has her moments. Jason Segel is good playing a role he dreamed about his whole life – you can see he loves every minute of it.

Summary & score: The Muppets is a fun and very enjoyable family film, and certainly on par with the other Muppet movies. 7/10

Jason Segel – Movies Spotlight – November 2011

Jason Segel, 31, is probably best known for his role as Marshall on How I Met Your Mother. He got his break on TV, but has started to become a feature film comedy star, writing, starring and producing his own work. This month he stars in The Muppets, which also co-wrote. It is directed by James Bobin (of The Flight of the Conchords) and also stars Amy Adams and Chris Cooper.

Early Career:

Segel planned to be a professional actor while still in college. He got his start with three small feature roles in 1998 (Can’t Hardly Wait, Dead Man on Campus and SLC Punk!).  He also got roles in Slackers, 11:14, an episode of Alias, and a three episode arc on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. However his first breakthrough came in 1999 when Paul Feig and Judd Apatow cast him as a series regular on Freaks and Geeks.

Judd Apatow and Good TV:

Freak and Geeks is thought of as one of the best TV series of all-time, and yet it was cancelled after only one season. Segel played Nick one of the Freaks. On the show Segel met Judd Apatow, who was coming off The Larry Sanders Show and joined Freaks and Geeks as a producer (on his way to becoming the most proficient comedy producer working today). With the failure commercially of Freaks and Geeks, Apatow pitched a new show to Fox and had his first show as its creator – Undeclared, bringing with him from Freaks and Geeks Seth Rogen, Martin Starr, David Krumholtz, Busy Philipps, Sam Levine, and Segel. The show is also excellent and also cancelled during its first season. Segel played one of the series regular’s crazy boyfriend and is hilarious. In 2005, Segel got his a big break securing a series regular role on How I Met Your Mother, playing the show’s protagonist Ted’s best friend Marshall. The show is currently in its seventh season and is a huge hit for CBS. In 2007, Segel reunited with Apatow to take a supporting role in his second feature Knocked Up. He is again very funny playing one of star Rogen’s friends.

Writing, Producing & Starring:

With the success of How I Met Your Mother and Judd Apatow (as a comedy guru), Segel was able to get his script Forgetting Sarah Marshall greenlight. The romantic comedy is produced by Apatow and directed by Nicholas Stoller, who also worked as a director on Undeclared. The film is one of the best comedies of the decade (and my personal favorite rom-com of the decade). The film is about a guy who goes through a tough breakup with his high profile girlfriend. He decides to go to Hawaii to get away and ends up running into her and her new beau. Stoller and Segel have since become a creative team. Their second project was Get Him to the Greek, centered on Russell Brand’s character from Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Segel wrote new songs and produced the film. Next they pitched Disney an idea to revive The Muppets. The Dracula Musical in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the puppet bits on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson presented Segel as the pefect person to bring them back, and Disney agreed. The film comes out this month written and produced by Segel and Stroller, Segel also stars and worked on new songs with Bret McKenzie. Coming April 2012, Segel and Stroller have their fourth feature – The Five-Year Engagement. It is about the ups and downs of a couple, starring Segel and Emily Blunt. They also have a number of projects they are working on.

Becoming a Comedy Star:

How I Met Your Mother and Forgetting Sarah Marshall have propelled Segel to the top of the feature comedy game. His first project as a leading man without Apatow producing came in the form of the buddy-film I Love You, Man co-starring (Apatow alum) Paul Rudd, who Segel worked with previously on Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Knocked Up, and directed by John Hamburg (who directed three episodes of Undeclared). The film is very funny. Next, he took the role voicing Vector the villain opposite Steve Carell in Despicable Me. Then he took supporting roles in Gulliver’s Travels (which Stroller wrote jokes for), Bad Teacher (neither is very good though) and the funny rom-com Friends with Benefits (though his role is more of a cameo).

Future Projects:

Segel has four films scheduled for release in 2012. First he stars in the Duplass Brothers’ (Jay and Mark) new comedy Jeff Who Lives at Home opposite Ed Helms, Judy Greer and Susan Sarandon. It is about Jeff (played by Segel) a detached slacker who might discover his destiny when he helps his brother track down his possibly adulterous wife. Next, he stars in The Five-Year Engagement (detailed above). After that, he reprises his voice role as Vector in Despicable Me 2. Finally, he reprises his role in Judd Apatow’s fourth feature This Is Forty, a spinoff of Knocked Up focusing on Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s characters.

Jason Segel Career Highlights:

1)      Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)* – principal cast member (DVD)

2)      Undeclared (2001-2002)* – supporting (DVD)

3)      How I Met Your Mother (2005-present) – principal cast member (DVD, Streaming)

4)      Knocked Up (2007)* – supporting (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

5)      Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)* – writer, leading (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

6)      I Love You, Man (2009) – leading (Blu-ray, DVD, Streaming)

7)      Get Him to the Greek (2010) – producer (Blu-ray, DVD)

*Editor’s picks