Three's Company

Yesterday I saw:

50/50 (2011)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Knocked Up (2007)

50/50

Yesterday was a bit of a spring cleaning day after running around doing errands. I asked what we should watch and my little lady said "something with Seth Rogan. At first I thought of The Interview but realized she would need a break from extreme violence after Deadpool, so I pulled out 50/50 from the old book shelf.

It's such a fun movie with a heavy topic of facing cancer, but it's not the film that I worried it would be before I first saw it. I was scared it would be a dark movie with some laughs about having cancer, a bit of a bummer and a bit too heavy. I was a little turned off by the trailer where they show the scene where Joseph Gordan-Levitt shaves his head and clumps of hair fall from the clippers or the scenes of him trying to go to a club with his bald chemo head. His character looked so fragile and unsettling, it seemed like it would be a movie where I would sit through feeling like my body would fall apart.

I was wrong about all of this. It's a comedy and it feels real. It feels like going through illness sucks but it doesn't kil who you are even if it is killing your body. It has a lot of laugh lines and it's especially heartwarming to know that the story is based on the illness of the screenwriter of the film Will Reiser who brings humanity to the main character and the whole creative team of the writer, director and actors bring a realness to it without being unwatchably depressing.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

I hadn't seen this in a while and had almost forgotten how packed this movie is with eye candy, action, and comedy. In an odd way, despite being a fantasy film, it feels like a great representation of a small garage band that doesn't seem to be one that will make it outside of their home town. It reminded me of growing up in my band and the feeling my bass gave me while loudly playing in my parent's barn or my friend Jer's garage. It shakes the air into an excitement that runs through your body and this film encapsulates that feeling and that sound. I remembered liking it, but watching it now makes me realize I love it as a movie. It pairs well with other Michael Cera movies with either garage rock or a garage rock mentality of Youth in Revolt and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. All three movies remind me of the transition time between child and adult where you're an adult that has a lot of fun, dramatic things hurt just a little more, and you don't have any money.

Knocked Up

When I first saw this in the theater I didn't know what to expect. I hadn't seen 40 Year Old Virgin and my impression was that it was an American Pie style gross out comedy. It came out at a time when I was less likely to go to a movie just for the laughs in it so I was a little surprised my friend Pat suggested it. I was on edge for the movie just before started... Then I was hit by the opening ODB song and the crisp cinematography and I was hooked before any dialogue which kept me laughing for the rest of the movie. Ever since that moment I have been on board for almost anything Judd Apatow and I've been grateful for the movement in comedic films to follow his lead as well.