Les Misérables Clichés
This nonsensical empty attempt at comedy - or whatever it is they tried to do - consists in three childhood friends screaming "OBAMAAAA!" every 15 minutes. Those thirty-something immature boys fly to New York to surprise their other friend on her birthday. This leads to some existential quest for love and happiness within the family and friendship spheres. Not only has the plot barely scratched the surface but if you dug harder, there would be more surface. The poorly cast ensemble doesn't do justice to the typical French tourist and the filmmakers don't even have the slightest idea about American culture. They haven't even researched any of it and they portray the weirdest unbelievable facts. For example, every person they meet in NYC lives in some fancy 10-acre penthouse. Really? Do they have any idea of the housing market in Manhattan these days? Even Charlie Sheen's character in 1987's Wall Street had trouble paying rent for his little bachelor suite. But let's just assume that it makes sense because one of the protagonist is the assistant of some famous actor. Sure she is! How many French illegal workers in Manhattan actually are the assistant of De Niro or Woody Allen? That's right. None. Then there are the scenes regarding shoes on power lines. The three amigos first spot those in Brooklyn where one of them says it's just what New Yorkers do for fun or style. You expect a later scene in which they try to throw their shoes on a wire and a drug lord's street associate chasing them. That never happens. They end up throwing their shoes there and screaming the name of the 44th President of the USA. It is not deep, nor is it French-charming, clever or even funny. This is the last thing you want to watch to try out French comedy.
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, the two compadres find a baby-sitter in Brian - Tara's boyfriend - who is stuck taking care of the girls until they come down from their high. To a background of country music, the movie makes us travel through rural New England with the three amigos. Wild Girl Waltz focuses on friendship and tiny bits of romance. I feel like the goofy comedy is just a cover to address real-life young adults' issues. Angie and Tara are stuck in their rural hometown. Out of college and money, they have nowhere to go so they decide to get wasted for a moment to mentally escape their reality. The two female leads are hilarious and naturally impersonate the wasted characters. The story flows around their offbeat personality. Wild Girl Waltz is shameless, sarcastic and is just the comedy that girls have been waiting for too long.
in which the core protagonist was also a mentally damaged alcohol and pill-popping addict. Woody Allen definitely has a thing for depressed yuppie female leads. Those generally occupy my favorite Allen movies. The way the writer punctuates the basic plot with insightful flashbacks transforms the story into a very interactive viewing experience. Blue Jasmine's cast is impressive. Actors and comedians from Louis C.K. to Peter Sarsgaard and Alec Baldwin are part of the picture. But the main character and by far the most mind-blowing performance of the panel is Cate Blanchett's. She is phenomenal and masters the art of a cinematic nervous breakdown with such dexterity that those 98 minutes alone are an Inside the Actors Studio's seminar of its own. 
fade in a black and white majestic skyline. Welcome to New York City. Enter the lifestyle of Isaac (Woody Allen), a disillusioned writer. You witness his odd attempts at getting over his failed marriage. This old Allen classic is a masterpiece of witty comedy and an ode to the Big Apple. If you adore this city and are a sucker for clever lines, sarcasm and black humor, this movie should be on your must-see list. I find this film to be very avant-gardist for the time. More than 30 years later, 
is still a sincere and accurate portrait of contemporary relationships. It deals with very modern-love topics. Cheats, underage sex, homoparental families, divorce, hate at first sight... those are among the plot's core themes. I can't get enough of Meryl Streep's interpretation of Isaac's deadpan emasculating ex-wife. Diane Keaton depicts an exquisite and impossible know-it-all. Her performance of this pain in the ass who can never be happy in a relationship is flawless. Even after so many years, the brilliant direction of Woody Allen has a very modern feel. The black and white commitment and the still-like shots make of 
, through its trailer, I felt instant infatuation. The black and white esthetics, the New Yorker thread, the witty humor, 
. Everything caught my attention. When I finally managed to get a first date - the 9pm screening - I was nervous and excited. Excited because I couldn't help but think about this movie everyday. Nervous because I was afraid my expectations were too high. Like before any date, I took forever to choose my outfit. I opted for something casually fashionable. I brought a friend with me so it would be more like an informal get-together. No pressure. Then I apprehensively bought my ticket and sat down in the theater. And that was it, I definitely fell for Frances Ha as soon as the movie started. Not Frances, the protagonist, who reminds me too much of myself. But Frances Ha, the movie. This is a very touching and hilarious picture directed by Noah Baumbach. The black and white esthetics highlight the modernity of the tackled themes and give a certain depth to the comedy. The screenplay written by both Gerwig (who plays Frances) and Baumbach is a genuine reflection of the main character's personality. It is witty, quotable and seems a little disjointed but it holds itself together in the end. I could easily identify with Frances. She is lost somewhere between childhood and adulthood. She is a 27-year-old non-graceful apprentice for a dance company, lives in New York City, has an intense bond with her roommate and college best friend. When Sophie - the best friend - decides to move out of Brooklyn and ditch her friend for a hip apartment in Tribeca, Frances will have to finally force her way into adulthood. This is an unusual love story to tell on screen since it deals with the love between two best friends. Frances is the adorable friend you wished you had. Passionate and a little crazy, Greta Gerwig delivers a very convincing and natural performance. The rest of the cast is also very credible. 
looks like a B movie, doesn't it? Lanie Kerrigan is a successful TV reporter who leads a life she defines as perfect: good job, famous baseball player as a fiancé, great body... When she interviews a street prophet (Tony Shaloub) who tells her she is going to die in a week, she starts wondering if her happiness is just an illusion. Even though the movie features a respectable cast with Angelina Jolie in the lead, the characters are somewhat dull. The plot is pretty basic and leads to a predictable but good moral. Jolie scores the worst haircut of her acting career and her performance is slightly out of tune. I guess you can't always be on top of your game. This movie is probably not the grand following Jolie was expecting hardly 3 years after winning the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for 
. Despite those bad moves, the 40-million-dollar budget paid for a decent editing and nice cinematography. The sense of humor is all right and the rock-flirting-with-punk soundtrack makes the picture a bit spicier. I can still enjoy this film even if it's not a must-see. 
may not end up in my Top 10 Comedies but I spent an enjoyable moment watching it. You should definitely give it a try and share your opinion with me!
marks a high point in The Coen brothers' career. They created an icon of the 90s with The Dude. He became a god-like figure for many. A guy adored by a generation thanks to his unique philosophy and style. I don't think The Dude could have been interpreted by a better actor than Jeff Bridges. He rocks the laidback attitude with a disconcerting comfort. Not to mention that his hair is so sleek, I'm hypnotized by it. The Bridges/Goodman/Buscemi trio is hilarious and the additional characters portrayed by talented actors like Julianne Moore, or Philip Seymour Hoffman are the cherries on top of this psychedelic cake. 
and 
among others) and starring Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis in a sick threesome is terrific! I approve the whole package from the old special effects to the amusing sarcasm. The plot deals with the merciless quest to eternal youth, the end of an actress' reign, plastic surgery tyranny and standradized beauty. In other words, current topics that never grow old. Despite its timeless theme, the storyline is very original. Long-time rivals (Streep and Hawn) have always tried to outdo each other until Madeline (Streep) finds out about an immortality treatment... I like how self-mockery steers the screenplay and how the two main actresses take great delight in underscoring the ridicule of their characters' obsession. No need to tell you that the cast is flawless. Hawn plays her obsessive part so well she scares the crap out of me. Streep rocks it all, as always. And even though she is my grandma's doppelganger (which makes it both awkward and fascinating to watch her movies), she makes me laugh until I choke. 
is one frantic comedy that can always cheer you up!
is a road movie by Sam Mendes. A pregnant couple tries to figure out where to build their home and raise their baby. The screenplay is cleverly written by Dave Eggers and Vandela Vida and displays a subtle and intelligent sense of humor that cracks me up. The story flows on 
. The atmosphere is calm and relaxed despite the crazy friends and family members Burt and Verona (John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) meet on their trip. Away We Go is a big patchwork postcard taking you to Phoenix, Montreal, or Miami. Burt and Verona symbolize the morally-perfect couple on a quest for a decent place to root their family values. I watch Away We Go like I eat a several-course meal. I pace myself and enjoy each course featuring different outstanding actors. Be prepared to start the appetizers with Catherine O'hara and Jeff Daniels and move on to Maggie Gyllenhaal or Allison Janney among others. This movie has the merit to follow a green filmmaking set of rules. It's always a plus for me. Away We Go is another Mendes-made stroke of genius.
is one of my favorite movies of all times (alright, I have hundreds of these but still). This movie is fueled with classic lines and indie acoustic music. Diablo Cody (the screenwriter) and I share a certain sense of sarcasm. I find Juno to be one of the most clever and hilarious comedies ever written. Forget about those dumb teen movies that make you want to choke yourself to death. It takes a minimum smartness level to appreciate Juno. Far be it from me to seem condescending (I swear!) but you won't find tigers in hotel rooms or crude behaviors in this movie. So if this is what makes you laugh, move along! This film is a mature comedy dealing with the dynamics of marriage, teen pregnancy and abortion. In other words, this movie offers a different view on real life topics. The cast is terrific. Ellen Page makes an absolutely perfect Juno and is the reason why 
. In addition to the young Canadian, you'll watch a plethora of talented actors in action. Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons are Juno's parents and my personal favorites apart from the pregnant teen. Michael Cera is the father of the baby-to-be and Jason Bateman is the wannabe-rockstar and future adoptive dad who is married to Jennifer Garner's control-freak character. You laugh from one end to the other. The best part might be that the plot is totally credible and could happen to anyone. The writer turns the sensitive and depressive issue of teen pregnancy into the funniest movie I've seen. And it all happens in middle-class Minnesota on a genius music background and the coolest credits artwork.