You Will Get The "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" Theme Song Stuck In Your Head

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015)  

TV-14

Starring Ellie Kemper, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane, Jane Krakowski,

Created by Tina Fey & Robert Carlock

The Story:

15 years after being abducted into a Doomsday Cult, Kimmy Schmidt (Kemper) is freed, and decides that she doesn't want to exist by cashing in on the fame of being one of the bunker girls, but instead wants to start a new life for herself in New York City. But if she thought life in a bunker was weird, she ain't seen nothing yet!

My guess with most viewers, you're either going to enjoy this Netflix Original series, or you are probably going to run screaming in the other direction as fast as possible.

I'm not sure there's a middle ground here.

Even after the first episode, I pondered to myself, "what exactly have I just watched" ?

But the next episode comes on, and the strangeness invites itself in and lets you know that it's here to stay.

This is a world populated by strange characters, and the little girl that grew up in the bunker is far from the craziest person you'll meet.

Kimmy of course is a woman with the soul and mentality of a teenage girl. She's yet to fully grow up, but that's part of her charm.

There's her roomate, Titus (Burgess) who may be the greatest asset to the show. He's hilarious and winds up in some of the oddest predicaments that you could imagine.

Then we have their landlord, Lillian (Kane) who is a box of rocks short of having a box of rocks, but has a heart of mostly gold.

Finally, Jacqueline (Krakowski). the socialite who Kimmy begins nannying for but will go through some personal upheavals throughout the seasons.

That's a quick look at the players, and they are surrounded by even crazier guests, but the show always drives forward with smaller pieces that feed a larger story arc.

It's always wild, a little weird, but usually quite fun.

That's not to say it's perfect.

When we venture back and meet Kimmy's family during the trial...

Well, let's just say those were a few weird characters too many.

Season Two course-corrected a bit and introduced a recurring Tina Fey character that was fundamentally different from the one she played in the first season, and helped move Kimmy's storyline along.

What's going to happen in Season 3?

Hard to say, but they left off with an intriguing enough cliffhanger to keep us guessing.

Final Grade:  B

Sibling Revelry... "Sisters"

Sisters (2015)

Rated R

Starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, James Brolin, Dianne Wiest, John Cena, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz, John Leguizamo

Directed by Jason Moore

The Story:

Maura and Kate (Poehler & Fey) are asked by their parents (Brolin & Wiest) to come home and clean out their bedrooms so they can sell the house. They return home, and decide to throw one last bash, just like the good old days. However, this time, Maura asks Kate if she can be the "house mom" for the night and let Maura have a good time for once at a party. Sure...what could possibly go wrong?

Here's a fun little reversal of fortune as Fey gets to play the crazy one and Poehler gets to play the by-the-book sister. You expect just the opposite for each of them. However, Maura wants one night to be the wild one, and let Kate be in charge, so it's fun to see how hard it is to be the other type of sister during the escalating party.

It's also a credit to both ladies that they can each pull off the funny one or the straight man with ease.

Of course, there's more to the story than just the party, but the party drives most of the plot and helps to resolve most of the conflict that was set up before and during the shenanigans.

It also helps that the house party has a crazy cast of insane characters in their own right.

And as usual, John Cena makes the most of his screen time. He might never be The Rock, but he'll have a future once he hangs it up for good in the wrestling world.

Don't get me wrong, I laughed, but I feel like a movie like this, I should have laughed more.

It was good, but I thought it could be better.

Of course, almost all movies could always stand to be a bit better, right?

So at the end of the day, I'm glad I watched it, but I don't have that urge to see it again soon, which is often the mark of a great movie.

Final Grdae:  C+

The War In Afghanistan..."Whiskey Tango Foxtrot "

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

Rated R

Starring Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, Christopher Abbott, Billy Bob Thornton, Nicholas Braun, Evan Jonigkeit

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

The Story:

In 2003, the war in Iraq has pulled all of the world's major journalists there to cover the story. Turning to whatever resources they have left, new reporters are sent to Afghanistan to cover that story. Kim Baker (Fey) is selected and heads to Afghanistan even though she's never worked in front of the camera before. However, her inquisitive nature and determination help her immensely as she befriends her colleagues, the military and the Afghan locals.

Yes, this is a true story.

And while there are many amusing things that happen, this falls more along the dramedy realm than a straight up zany Tina Fey movie.

So make sure you know that going in, or you too may think..."Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?!"
Or some equivalent.
:)

Had Tina Fey written it, it's likely it would have been even funnier, but sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction, and there is plenty of that to go around in the film.

She's surrounded with some wonderful supporting characters, especially Christopher Abbott as her interpreter and Billy Bob Thornton as General Hollanek.

Along the way, Kim uncovers the cold truth about the war: while Americans love and support the military, they just don't want to see it, or the harsh realities of war played out on the television nightly.

That was true then in 2006, when everyone was tired of it.

A decade later, it's sadly even more true.

Final Grade: B

Cumbersome Title, A Couple Laughs... "This Is Where I Leave You"

This Is Where I Leave You (2014)

Rated R

Starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne, Dax Shepard, Timothy Olyphant

Directed by Shawn Levy

The Story:

After their father passes away, all of his family reunites at his house and is forced to stay their for a week due to Jewish customs. They naturally all find this very odd, since their dad wasn't Jewish... Naturally, whenever a dysfunctional family is forced to be together under one roof for more than about an hour, chaos and insanity ensues.

For a very funny cast, the laughs are few and far between.  If you're expecting a laugh riot, you will be disappointed.

It's a dramedy in every sense of the word.

Divvying up screen time to allow the stories of each of the children to unfold is naturally rather difficult. Most centers on Judd (Bateman) who starts the movie with a shock to the system, even before he finds out his father passed away.


The cast does a fine job balancing their angst with their humor.

Not a bad movie in any sense of the word, just nothing that memorable that would require another viewing down the road.

Final Grade: C+

Live From New York, It's "Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversay Special"

Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary (2015)

TV-14

Starring The Not Ready For Primetime Players

Created by Lorne Michaels

The Story:

The year was 1975, and Lorne Michaels unleashed a weekly 90 minute program of satirical humor and musical guests every Saturday Night, live for the viewing public. The face of comedy was changed forever.

It may not have truly recognized for the brilliance at first, but how about by using a 40 year retrospective that is basically a greatest hits/worlds' biggest inside joke for the cast and the fans of the show to help you appreciate the comedy geniuses that have passed through Studio 8H over the decades.

Some went on to bigger and better things after their stint on the show. Some went on...and we are surprised that they are still around.

Saturday Night Live has been around for 40 years.

Reports (or demands) of its cancellation have been circulating for about...

39 years.

:)

Pretty much if they were ever on the show, they were on the show last night.

Even Eddie Murphy, who returned to a standing ovation.

There were a few new sketches with cast members from across the spectrum, and with a few special guest stars.

I would say the Jeopardy sketch with Ferrell back as Trebek and the always underrated Darryl Hammond as Sean Connery did not disappoint.

There was a Weekend Update retrospective with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Jane Curtin as hosts.

Then a salute to the musicians and comedy skits that have been a staple of the show since the beginning.

They also looked at the crossover between sports and comedy as well.

A solid show from top to bottom, and filled with more than enough laughs.

Worst segment?

The Kanye West musical segment.

That's okay, SNL is notorious for  airing stuff that probably should have been cut.

I don't stay up much anymore and am not that familiar with the cast, but I'm glad they're still around and doing this every weekend.

Looking forward to the next decade of laughs, and that should be SNL's next retrospective, the 50th.

Final Grade: A

At Least More Wanted Than The Last Film..."Muppets Most Wanted"

Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Rated PG

Starring Kermit the Frog, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell

Directed by James Bobin

The Story:

In the aftermath of the last movie, Kermit and the Gang are approached by an agent (Gervais) to go on a world tour. However, it is all a nefarious plot  to abduct Kermit and allow the most dangerous frog alive, Constantine, to take his place and steal priceless works of art. Kermit must attempt to free himself from a Russian gulag run by Nadya (Fey) and get back to his friends and Miss Piggy, none of whom even noticed Kermit had been replaced.

True story: I enjoyed this sequel much more than the 2011 film, The Muppets. It was okay, but I wanted to see the Muppets. Instead, much of the focus was on a brand new Muppet, Walter, and his brother (Jason Segal) and his love interest (Amy Adams).

Hello?

It's a movie about Muppets.

Nobody wants to see humans, except in supporting roles or bit cameos to enhance the story.

When the humans are a large chunk of the story, the charm is missing.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Instead, this film breaks right into the first of many musical numbers (so if you're scared of musicals...run away!) where they even explain why they're doing the sequel.

Comic genius.

The only problem? The sequel was better, so well done to James Bobin who also helped write the movie.

Overall, pretty fun stuff and the new voices of the Muppets are doing a fantastic job.

Of course, I'll give a special shoutout to Dave Goelz, the man behind Gonzo.  As the only original performer still working on his characters, he makes a great link to the storied past with Henson and the bright future that the Muppets are headed into.

If you've loved them before, this one is worth coming back to.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Probably not as I am the biggest Muppet fan in the house, but one I could watch again in the future and enjoy.

He Comes In Peace. Mostly. "Megamind"

Megamind (2010)

Rated PG

Starring Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill

Directed by Tom McGrath

The Story:

Megamind (Ferrell) is the world's greatest supervillain.  However, he is constantly kept in check by Metro Man (Pitt).  After years of putting Roxanne (Fey) in peril, the relationship is changed forever when Megamind kills Metro Man!  Missing his heroic arch-nemesis, Megamind creates a new hero to fight (Hill).  But when he goes rogue to use his powers for evil, Megamind must become the hero he never wanted to become.

A loving homage to superheroes, Dreamworks unleashed Megamind to help put a twist on the genre.

While not the perfection of The Incredibles, this film still has quite a bit to offer, not the least of which is the top-notch vocal talents of the 4 lead characters.

Dreamworks Animation continues to produce stealth classics that are overlooked and under-appreciated by the audience and critics.

I would be more than happy to see a sequel in the future, but I don't see that coming anytime soon.

So in the meantime, I'll just sit back and enjoy this one.

I think as time passes, this one will get more appreciated for all that it has to offer.

Final Grade: Solid B, maybe B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I already own it, and it's a fun one to pop in and rewatch every so often.

90 Minutes of Your Life is Not a Bad Price for "Admission"

What's the secret to getting in?

The Story:

Portia (Tina Fey) is a Princeton admissions officer.  At Princeton, they pride themselves on rejecting 99% of all applications they receive.  As they head into the applications of the upcoming class, she is contacted by John (Paul Rudd) a teacher at a new school about Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), his prodigy who would be perfect for Princeton, but maybe not necessarily the type of candidate that Princeton would otherwise pursue.  Can he convince her otherwise?  Maybe...

So this is one of those movies that was savaged by critics and ignored at the box office.

Beats me, it wasn't that bad.  I'm curious what folks were expecting?

It's hardly a romantic comedy.  Which is probably the undoing of the film.  That's what people probably thought they were going to get with the movie.  Is there a romance in here?  Yes, but it's almost tacked on as an afterthought.

I suppose in the end, you almost need to blame the film's lack of box office on the marketing department.  Looking for a picture of the film, they are all cutesy pics of Rudd and Fey making it indeed look like a romantic comedy.

I think they should have spun the marketing to focus on Princeton's rejection of most candidates, and left it at that.  Then everything else would play out on its own merits.

Instead, the twist from this movie comes fairly early, and Portia spends the rest of the movie dealing with the ramifications of that revelation.

The movie is not laugh out loud funny either.  Starring Fey and Rudd, you would think that impossible, but I'm here to tell you that it's the truth!  Instead of guffaws, the movie spends most of its time in a constant state of amusement.  Some laughs will come, others will just elicit a smile or a chuckle.

That said, there are plenty of worse comedies out there.

Believe me, I've seen many of them.

:)

This one was worth a viewing.

Final Grade: B-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: No purchase, but I'd have no problems seeing it again down the road in the future...

High School is Full of "Mean Girls"

Sharpen your claws...

The Story:

Cady (Lindsay Lohan) is the new girl in school.  Here she meets the clique, "The Plastics": Regina (Rachel McAdams), Gretchen (Lacey Chabert) and Karen (Amanda Seyfried) the prettiest and most popular girls in school.  Also the bitchiest.  Hatching a plan with outsiders Janis (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese) Cady is to infiltrate the Plastics and spy on them from within.  However, once Cady gets involved with the Plastics, how long can she maintain her innocence before she goes to the dark side?

Yep, another teen chick flick.

Thank heavens for little girls, otherwise I would miss out on a ton of funny movies.  But as a dad, it's my job to dutifully watch the animated movies with them when they are young, and then endure the genres with them as they grow older.

Luckily, I've seen much better films by their sides than I've seen terrible flicks.  Oh, and the kids have a cross between my movie taste and their mom's, so that means we usually see only the best of the bunch.

And this is  a great one!

Adapted for the screen, and also starring Tina Fey, the movie is a probably more accurate look at high school life for girls than people want to admit.

The cast is exceptional, from top to bottom.  It was Amanda Seyfried's first movie role, though she wouldn't become a superstar until Mamma Mia a few years later.

Rachel McAdams is in top form as the bad girl in her 2nd big screen role.  Naturally, she would go supernova with the release of the Notebook the same year.

Then there was Tina Fey who exploded upon a national audience with this film, where fans of her work on Saturday Night Live were already familiar with her skills, now the world was aware, and things have been looking up for her ever since.

Conversely... there is Lindsay Lohan, the star of the film.  Well... this was the last good movie she made, to be quite honest.  She was actually on a bit of a role with this capping off the terrific remake of Freaky Friday, the okay Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and she capped off the trifecta with this film.

And then life happened, she lost her mind, and has been a complete train wreck during the intervening decade.

Sad.

Thankfully, we've got this gem to remember the good times before she lost her mind.

: )

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Already own... watched it quite a bit... hilarious every time.  A special shout out to the underrated abilities of Tim Meadows who kills as the principal in his few scenes. : )