She's Out of My League

Goolphipp Award: 4.3 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Goolsby:
I love this movie. Hands down, I love this movie. Everything about this movie was pretty much perfect for me. It gave me unexpected elements, very unexpected - I'm talking about the out-of-left-field shaving scene involving two men. But even this unexpected scene was done with some bit of class. There was no unnecessary nudity and there was enough humor to cover up any awkwardness.

I loved the story line. A 5 guy dates a 10 girl. I loved the message at the end of this movie, that numbers don't matter. I loved the supporting cast too. Leading man Jay Baruchel plays Kirk and the British Alice Eve plays Molly (by the way, she did a pretty good job covering up her accent). I'm a fan of the gangly Baruchel. He knows how to own his geeky awkwardness.

This movie is all in the details. You would think they might have problems with the cliches of the basic plot line, but they side stepped all of the gimme moments and packed the movie full of "Did that just happen?!" moments. There is a scene where Kirk's ex-girlfriend clotheslines him. He goes down like a bag of hammers, and I couldn't stop laughing. I have to give some props to Nate Torrence who plays Kirk's friend Devon. Torrence has some amazing comedic ability and I'm so glad he was part of this movie.

The only bad part? One of Kirk's other friends Stainer, played by T.J. Miller reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite too much. Perhaps it was just his looks, but his character just had that annoying jerk quality that I couldn't embrace. Maybe too much jerk and not enough redeeming loveableness.

Goolsby overall: 4.75
This movie will someday soon be part of my collection.

Phipps:
This movie did horribly at the box office, and that's too bad. It actually was worth seeing. Like I've said before, I'm really wary of comedies, because they tend to be overly raunchy. While this movie had those moments - all the other moments far outweighed them. I laughed through most of the movie...good mix of physical comedy and wit. Disney jokes were made. People fell. But most of all, the movie had some heart. The characters were pretty ordinary with ordinary hang-ups - crazy families, webbed feet, and ex's you can't get rid of. One thing I'm grateful for is airport accuracy in this movie! People can't run through the airport to chase down the love of their lives anymore (unless you know people in TSA). As I think over this movie, I realize how much fun I had watching it. I don't have too many complaints. As Goolsby said, there were unexpected moments, but all in all, I think it was as tastefully done as possible. I wouldn't watch it with my parents, but I sure had a good time. If I remember right, the soundtrack even contributed to some laughs. As far as audience, I would say 16-18+. It's not squeaky clean, but it's probably as close to a "made for people in their 20s" comedy as it gets.

Phipps overall: 4
Pretty darn funny.

Hot Tub Time Machine

Goolphipp Award: 3.25 (See the Cheap Matinee)

Goolsby:
I think I was a little too excited for this movie. John Cusack and Clarke Duke (who plays Dale on "Greek"), and I was hands down ready to see this movie. For some reason, I have no idea why, I thought they were going to go back in time to more than one decade. I guess I was channeling Bill and Ted memories. They only go back to one point in time, 1986. Bright colors, Alf, cell phones as big as shoes, and some of the best music on earth! Who doesn't have a crush on John Cusack?

Anyway, back to the movie. I thought it was overall a good movie. They included more 80's references than I could even count of keep track of. They owned the cheesiness and I appreciate that. I thought the cast was a good dynamic. Duke definitely helped round out the cast, well done Duke, well done. Cusack still has it, and I was glad to see him in this role, it seemed very fitting.

So a bad thing? Some parts just seemed unnecessary. Projectile vomit? More than once? Really? I think there were at least 3 puke scenes in this movie. Not needed in my opinion. The nudity is understandable I guess, given the target crowd for this movie. Talk about drug use though! Wow, that was a lot.

I liked the movie as a whole. My 80's thirst was quenched with a quick throw back to the Karate Kid - "Get him a body bag! Yea!" I doubt I'll own this movie, but it was a gooder.

Goolsby overall: 3.75
How could I forget! There is a long awaited moment in this movie. You literally are waiting for a guy to lose his arm the whole time. Classic.

Phipps:
I laughed with this movie. I do like the premise. It was like a mash-up of a bunch of different movies from the 80s. Heck, even Red Dawn was paid homage.

I think they went to a lot of trouble to make sure everything was authentic, and it showed. I appreciated that. The movie was super colorful. (Haha.) I also really enjoyed that these older guys were inhabiting their younger bodies, which eliminated the need to sneak around avoiding themselves.

My main complaint, as always with mainstream comedies, is the unnecessary raunchy moments (and/or projectile vomit). I think this movie could have been a classic if they would have cleaned it up a bit. Less sex (and certainly no nudity), less language, and less drug-use. What's left? You still get to make fun of the 80s. You still get four losers going back in time and learning some stuff. I also felt like making an energy drink based on Chernobyl was a little sick. It goes over the target audiences' heads, because we were all a little too young to remember. Goolsby didn't have a clue about it, and I only knew about it because I have friends how work in environmental science. Overall, I felt that the plot had potential, but dropped the ball with all the crap. If you don't have a problem with these things, you will probably really like this movie. Like I said, there's a good framework.

One more thing, this movie has the perfect cast for the plot.

Question: do these guys have both sets of memories from the two time lines? (Movies about time travel seriously mess with my head.)

Phipps overall: 2.75
Bummer. Good idea tarnished by lame sex and language.

Tooth Fairy

Phipp Award: 2 (See the Cheap Matinee)

Phipps:
I saw this movie because The Rock usually makes decent movies. They aren’t wonderful, but they are fun and light on crude. I also saw this movie because of Julie Andrews – she’s a legend. That being said, this was on the low end of good movies. It was a formula movie, but I was okay with the recycled storyline because it was a cute idea. The Rock in tights…strange and hilarious…and I have to say…he kind of rocked them. The wings were kind of lame looking – too papery. I get that fairy wings are different from bird wings, but come on, people! There was nothing cool about them – they didn’t move at all...a glorified Halloween costume. Everything in this movie seemed a little hollow. Performances weren’t solid. Overall, it could have been better.

Phipps overall: 2
Something was missing.

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When in Rome

Goolphipp Award: 2.25 (See the Cheap Matinee)


Phipps:
Well, I did see the cheap matinee of this movie, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was a typical romantic comedy, but I had fun. I laughed, mostly at Josh Duhamel, who used this movie to show off his comedic timing. He was arguably the best part of the movie. His performance was solid. Props to Danny Devito, he’s a real pro. The rest of the cast was sufficient. I’ll probably end up buying this movie, if that makes a difference to you. It’s a prefect movie for a Girls Night. Guys will probably hate this movie (in all honesty). I will say that this movie made me want to go to Rome, and toss a coin into a famous fountain…and hope for the best.

Phipps overall: 2.5
Charmed by Duhamel.

Goolsby:
I saw this separately with my mother. I was disappointed. I didn't find the physical humor that great. The previews showed most of the funny moments, and the rest was hit or miss. My biggest complaint for this movie is that it was so slow. It took forever to start. With funny movies you have to hop right in and keep the punches rolling. This film did not do that. Phipps is right that Devito Stole the show. All in all it was a little slow paced and run-of-the-mill. Honestly, I think I saw my mom nod out a couple times.

Goolsby overall: 2
Passable.

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Up in the Air

Goolphipp Award: 3.4 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Phipps:
We've all heard the hype around this movie in some way or another. Could be you've heard that George Clooney did a stellar job, and they would be right. Clooney has the Cary Grant sparkle and charm, which is perfect for this movie. Could be you heard about all those awards nominations for this movie, and just might want to watch it to see if it deserved all of them. While I don't think that it was the best movie this awards season, I have to say that the script (aside from the ending...or lack thereof) was pretty great. It had the humor jabs juggling the drama without being cheeseball. (I do have to say, the idea of downsizing all our material possessions in our "backpack" is absolutely a splendid idea. It kind of inspires me to clean out my house.) Let's address the ending - warning! spoiler might be on the horizon - I hate movies where nothing really changes. I suppose the kid learns something...but it doesn't seem like he decides to really make an effort to reforge relationships with his family or have more of a life. Ryan (Clooney) just seems resigned to his life in the sky. What a downer. And that lady was a jerk.

Moving onto other points, Anna Kendrick, of the Twilight Saga fame, shows she has something to bring to the table as far as acting chops. I was impressed, and I hope she continues to enhance her repertoire.

It was good to see Sam Elliott, too.

This movie was well-done in all respects - cinematography, sound mixing, acting, directing, writing - except the last 5 minutes made it a downer. I don't anticipate a lot of DVD sales on this one, folks. Nobody wants to be stabbed in the heart twice.

Phipps overall: 2.75
I can't see past the nose-dive at the end.

Goolsby:
Phipps has already warned you of the not so great ending. I'm okay with endings that don't always end up on the bright side of things, but this movie seemed like it was headed somewhere else. The whole movie builds up this character Ryan. We see that his life is isolated and always in transit. He really has no roots. Even when he visits his family, he has been removed too long to even connect at first. I think this movie tries to show that relationships, no matter what kind, take work. Lots of it.

The backpack Phipps talks about above is a neat concept in the movie. The constant moving Ryan is a motivational speaker who sends the message, what really matters in life? When it comes down to it, his travel size carry on is really Ryan's backpack. The things that he cares about turns out to be all about his transatory life.

The point I'm trying to make is that this movie builds up Ryan's realization, but he ultimately - spoiler - does nothing with his realization. He ends up alone. Thinking back on this movie though, I guess it is realistic. Some people end up alone, in spite of even realizing they have other options. I don't think I would want to see this again, but as I write this, I've decided it was a good message. Perhaps it will inspire me to make the other decision - to live a connected life.

Oh, and one more thing. There is a speech given by Alex (Clooney's love interest), played by Vera Farmiga, that basically outlines everything she looks for in a man. The whole scene surrounding this list hits home, and hits it hard.

Goolsby overall: 4
Hmm, I won't see it again, but I can't give it less than this. I took a lot from this movie.

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(500) Days of Summer

Goolphipp Award: 4.6 (No Peanuts Chucked)

Phipps:
Despite 500 being completely upfront about the lack of love story, I was still kind of depressed afterward. But that's me, and my movie preference showing. I want sunshine and roses at the end...not a possible high of 75.

That being said, I do have to admit that 500 was charming. It was real, too, even with all the dancing and Han Solo sightings. I do have to appreciate a film that can present a relationship with both sides - the good and the ugly - equally and honestly. I liked that Tom and Summer weren't extraordinary in any way from the average human. Heck, their relationship developed much like any other - over days and weeks. None of this fall-into-the-sack stuff. It felt natural, and it was easy to identify with them. It was kinda nice seeing a boy freak out about a girl without being emasculated in the process.

I was charmed by Gordon-Levitt and found myself wanting to be on the receiving end of some of those looks. And of course, everybody wants to be a Zooey Deschanel clone. The supporting cast was also perfect, which allowed for Summer and Tom to shine.

I thought the use of days was ingenious. In fact, I thought the set-up of the entire film was ingenious. The end may not have been my cup of joe, but I can't deny the ingenuity and charm.

Phipps overall: 4.5
Like I said...can't deny the ingenuity and charm.

Goolsby:
(500) Days of Summer was refreshing. I loved the concept of the love story – or lack of love story. From the get go, a narrator says “This is not a love story.” Pay attention and don’t expect something else. The plot moves back and forth between the early days of their relationship to the end days. You would think this could be confusing, but it was done seamlessly. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who plays the loveable greeting card writer Tom, lets his subtle facial expressions sway the audience. There was also a neat role reversal that I appreciated. Soft emotional boy meets the independent woman. I still can’t decide who I relate to more, Tom or Summer. I liked the feeling of being split between the two characters – usually I relate to one character more than the other.

This movie also included various movie spoofs. I love it when movies incorporate and play off of other movies. From the Enchanted based choreographed post-sex dance (with the cartoon blue bird to boot) to the Han Solo reflection. Classic all the way. And very, very appreciated and well received.

And who doesn’t want to be Zooey Deschanel? Jealous. I love her quirky nature. The whole movie was quirky, but done in this amazing way. There is this scene where a split screen is used to show reality and expectations – it was heart wrenching and awesome at the same time.

We saw this movie last night and I’m still smiling about it. What I really liked about the movie is that it is not a love story. The real basis is about coincidence. Life is just a string of random moments and people. I relate to Tom. He’s found himself at a job and point in his life that favors indifference more than anything. There’s a turning point in the movie when Tom erases this chalkboard wall, and draws his future. That is the biggest pull in this movie.

Goolsby overall: 4.75
Draw your own future and make your own coincidences - that’s why I loved it so much.

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The Ugly Truth

Goolphipp Award: 3.5 (Worth 11 Bucks)

Phipps:
Well, I’ve heard The Ugly Truth. I laughed a lot – although, sometimes I was so shocked…I had to nervously laugh. This movie is definitely adult. I’m thinking college crowd would enjoy it the most. It’s definitely not the movie you want to watch with your grandma. That being said, I enjoyed the movie.

The orgasm-in-the-middle-of-a-restaurant felt like a nod to When Harry Met Sally…and then promptly took it to the next level.

Gerard Butler, of course, is great as the good guy with edge.

The male stereotype soapboxes are brought out in the open. This movie is written by a bunch of women, who obviously wanted to back their male lead into a corner to prove a point. Sure, sure, men are absolute pigs. Sex sells, but at the end of day, someone has to fall for the neurotic females. And why? “Beats the s***t out of me,” says our male lead. I thought it was very interesting that it was all about breaking down men…as if women are angelic in their understanding of relationships. In the end, Katherine Hiegl’s character, Abby, doesn’t even say “I love you” back.

But I think, the main reactions you’ll get from people are, “it was funny” and “that guy was hot!” Sounds like a successful romantic comedy to me.

Phipps overall: 3.5
I could watch 2 hours of Gerard Butler any day!

Goolsby:
We went to see this for my birthday with my mom. It was a birthday choice because of Gerard Butler. He delivered of course. I knew that this would be adult humor, but goodness. Once I got over the “this-is-awkward-sitting-next-to-my-mom” I was fine. The character dynamic was great. Your typical brash guy meets controlling girl. They fall in love. The real core of this is the humor of course. The jokes were honest. The truth is always funny. There are a couple of scenes that I just died laughing. A certain panty scene in a restaurant was the most unexpected thing ever.

All girls can relate to Abby (played by Katherine Heigl) – who hasn’t done a happy dance when they thought no one was looking? I have. I’m also glad that they didn’t ruin some of the more major jokes in previews or trailers. I’m happy with the movie; it delivered what it was supposed to.

Goolsby overall: 3.5

I wont be buying it, but Gerard put a smile on my face.

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17 Again

Goolphipp Award: 3.5

Audience: High School Freshman+

Goolsby: When you think about the plot, it’s obvious that jokes will be much more appreciated by an older (young-Dad age) crowd. There was some odd and somewhat uncomfortable small plot development between younger Mike and adult Scarlett. Yes, awkward.

Phipps: I saw a ton of little kids in the theater…and honestly, it’s not for the HSM crowd if you know what I mean. The trailer is deceptive, it looks smart and funny – and most importantly, light-hearted. It is smart and funny - but it is also a rather serious movie dealing with serious issues. Take my advice, you don’t want your little ones watching this until they are a bit older.

Where’s the Drama: Side-splitting
This movie presented its dramatic moment, then retreated and took refuge in its comedy.

Phipps: I appreciated this movie, I did. It was Freaky Friday meets The Kid. I half-expected Spencer Breslin to jump up, point, and say to Zac Efron, “You’re a chickless, dogless jerk with a twitch!” The humor is well-placed to make its audience look, then laugh at a rather sad situation – as in high school girls not respecting themselves enough to demand respect from guys. Aside from the magical aspect, this movie presented real dramatic situations…and real reactions.

Goolsby: Oh gosh. When anyone speaks Elvish, it makes me smile. I love the sidekick character of Ned, and the progression of the romance with the principal. This movie gave throw backs to a lot of older nerdiness-awesomeness, and it was well received. And come on, any movie that revives the use of the “Tool” and “Douche” insult, well you get my chuckle. A lot of the funny bits were used in the trailers for this movie, but the rest of the movie delivers plenty more.

Storyline: Things Happen for a Reason
An unhappy 40-something wishing he could have a “do-over” and magically he gets his wish.

Goolsby: The wish granted by a Norse God of course! Haha. Storyline was simple, not much real build up. You expect what you get, fairly predictable, but I’m fine with that. This movie doesn’t really try to be more than it is. Take it for what it is, and accept what you see coming, and well, there’s always room for Jell-O.

Phipps: Shoulda, woulda, coulda – oh, things worked out for the best. I just thought of It’s a Wonderful Life. This storyline has been delivered multiple times, in multiple ways, and it’s been a staple since the black and white days. Its human nature, I guess, to wonder about the “what ifs.” However in this case, I’d choose Jimmy Stewart over Zac Efron. I must say, I did enjoy the Ned character – and all his Sci-fi memorabilia.

Delivery: Satisfactory

Goolsby: I was impressed. Zac brought his A-game, and it showed. This role is definitely something that he’s using to stretch his wings. Oh oh, one thing though, Zac should work on his man-cry-chin-wobble more, needs a bit more honing. I thought Leslie Mann was a bit too cliché in her delivery. The unhappy, dream-searching almost-divorcee is a pretty cookie cutter character, and I wanted to see her bring something more to her role, and I didn’t see it. It doesn’t bother me that much because her character, although important, is not really part of the main focus or part of the audience’s emotional investment. I was just hoping she would deliver us something a bit different.

Phipps: I thought most performances were generally okay. Zac Efron has said that he needed a lot of help to really get into this character, and the work did pay off. I almost believed it. I was left wondering if Zac Efron has suffered any real disappointment in life, which certainly would have gone a long way to helping him identify with a disappointed 40-year-old. One comment about Michelle Trachtenberg: she’s been in high school for the last ten years. Time to graduate. Thomas Lennon was the perfect Sci-fi geek, and rocks the elf ears. I sort of had a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that Leslie Mann and Zac Efron had to have some kind of romantic chemistry – it’s a little weird.

Phipps overall: 2.5
I’ve got to give it a 2.5 – I kind of wish I hadn’t paid the eleven bucks. It’s a fun afternoon movie.

Goolsby overall: 4.5
I’m much more inclined to the humor side. It was what is was, and I might buy it when it’s on sale someday.

Goolphipp rating: 3.5 (No Peanuts Chucked)

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The Great Buck Howard

Goolphipp Award: 4.25

Audience: 18 +

Goolsby: Although there is only small adult content, the nature and underlying theme and message of the film would be appreciated by a more adult crowd. Take your mom and grandma with you, I bet they’d get a kick out of it.

Phipps: For you conservative people, I thought this movie is alright for you: minimal sex, minimal language. You could probably let your teenagers watch The Great Buck Howard with you…no younger than 14, I’d say.

Where’s the Drama: Subtle
Like that thirst-quenching glass of not-too-sweet lemonade you never knew you wanted.

Phipps: If you were looking in Blockbuster for this movie, would you check under Comedy or Drama? Goolsby and I decided it was more of a drama – a funny and quirky drama. When you think about it, life can be filled with drama…and also be full of funny moments and strange characters. That’s what I liked best about this movie. It was unafraid of both sides of the coin – to be both dramatic and ridiculous – not unlike its title character.

Goolsby: Finding yourself… forced into law school, double ugh. Forced into a cube, double ugh again. During the end, when Troy watches the show as an audience member, you're sort of on the edge of your seat right there with him. This movie delivers the random suspense delicately and I appreciated that.

Storyline: Finding your place
An unhappy law student finds himself working with an old magician turned mentalist.

Goolsby: The movie starts off a bit slow, but builds beautifully. And once again, we have some throwbacks to the central valley – Bakersfield and Stockton, woohoo.

Phipps: Gosh, for the 18 and older crowd, this is a breath of fresh air. What…you don’t want to be high-powered contract lawyer – GASP! This movie has a good message – sometimes you have to take a strange and random job to learn something important. For all of us that work the 9-to-5 shift, this was two hours of escape to…well, dream along with Troy Gable (Colin Hanks). It’s a slow start, but it’s inventive and quirky.

Delivery: Grade-A class

Goolsby: What a treat! Papa Hanks and Baby Hanks unite, and boy they’ve got similar acting styles (better be careful Colin, don’t fall under Papa’s wing just because it’s there, make sure to carve out your own way). Colin Hanks does well as the soul-searching youngster, but he never seemed too contrived or cliché. Colin keeps the allure throughout the movie. And John! John Malkovich, as always, plays a character. John’s face towards the ending of the movie holds so much emotion. They’re both getting color photographs from me.

Phipps: Ok, ok. So Colin Hanks is the son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson…who cares? Kid has some acting chops…and not all of it from Dad…his mother’s subtle (yet solid) style is also there. I’ve got to admit – I did get quite a kick out of the team-up. Next movie, maybe Mom can join. Listen, he’s gorgeous and talented – and most importantly of all, he’s paid his dues with "Roswell," Orange County, Untraceable, House Bunny, and now Buck Howard. Emily Blunt also is gradually taking center stage, and delivers a good performance. What can I say about John Malkovich? He’s stellar. I hate to say this because the year is early, but I could see an Oscar or Globe nod. And you know what? I think I’d root for him.

Phipps overall: 4.5
I grabbed a free promotion poster at the Indie theater, and I’m going to hang it up in my cubicle. If that doesn’t say it all…I might just have to persuade you to see this movie via hypnosis.

Goolsby overall: 4
Isn’t that wild?!

Goolphipp rating: 4.25 (No Peanuts Chucked)
Doesn’t really get much better, folks.

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Monsters vs Aliens

Goolphipp Award: 3

Audience: Come one, come all
Monsters vs Aliens is like a wholesome sandwich – providing a good fill for all. This movie has minimal adult jokes, and as in most animated movies, the adult jokes are sure to fly over the little ones’ heads.

Phipps: A mom asked why this movie was rated PG, and I honestly couldn’t tell her. Goolsby and I thought through the entire movie – looking for anything that might be a problem – and couldn’t find one thing. The only thing I can think of to call out is the violence, but it’s along the lines of The Incredibles.

Where’s the Humor: Animated standards
The good mix of characters lends itself to a rounded mix of comedy. The giantess who forgets she is a giant and the brainless blob known as B.O.B keep the laughs steady.

Goolsby: The one-liners are funny as they come, but only a few seems to stick as you walk out the doors. Enjoyable in the theater, but sadly not as memorable in the parking lot. Of course B.O.B was bound to be funny, but the best part was the idealized “Leave It To Beaver” portrayal of the San Joaquin Valley (the real “Valley” of California). Since when did Modesto get white picket fences? That kept me laughing for days… Modesto… ha.

Phipps: Being a native of Fresno County, well, I did appreciate the airtime. I laughed so loud. I think the other audience members probably thought, “I didn’t think it was that funny.” But, I agree with Goolsby, the comedy was standard. But I didn’t find it so original that I would write home about it. In fact, the only thing I’m going to tell my friends is that it featured Fresno and Modesto.

Storyline: Rejects save the day
Girl-next-door becomes monster. Meets monsters. Fights aliens. Monsters make great friends.

Phipps: It does sound inventive, but it didn’t “rock my sox.” I did like the themes of friendship…and accepting the weird. I couldn’t help but wonder if this movie was written by grown-up kids that were bullied. Looks like the “Monsters” won in life, after all.

Delivery: Animated delights

Goolsby: Kudos to all the actors and animators. I appreciated the detailed animation, it never looked cheesy or too cartoonish. Since we saw it in 3-D the effects were well placed and kept in pace with the flow – there were no fancy effects for effects sake. The actors seemed to have a good flow between each other, which can sometimes be hard to do on an animated film.

Phipps: This movie had the look and feel of a Pixar - almost. I know that Dreamworks has been trying to break in on the Pixar monopoly…and is close, but still misses the boat. That being said, I did love the 3-D. Like Goolsby, I liked that the 3-D wasn’t code for cheeseball. As far as the vocal acting, I don’t really have any complaints. Kiefer Sutherland as the crazy general was delightful and strangely believable. Kudos to Seth Rogan for using his distinctive pipes; it’s always a pleasure, B.O.B.

Phipps overall: 2.5
I realized as I was writing this up, that it wasn’t a movie to write home about. I won’t buy this movie later for my kids…well, maybe if it’s five bucks. It had all the right pieces, but I think it was missing the “IT” factor, whatever that is for animated movies. Maybe Dreamworks should send in a spy to discover if Pixar movies are laced with some kind of subliminal message that makes everyone love their movies more. Wow, that sounds harsh, but the bottom line for this movie is, “close, but no cigar.”

Goolsby overall: 3.5
Funny and good. Not much else to say. 3-D was nice though.

Goolphipp rating: 3 (Worth 11 Bucks)

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I Love You, Man

Goolphipp Award: 3.75

Audience: High school freshman +
I Love You, Man isn’t unusually crass, so it is approved for high school kids. But in our opinion, this movie deals with situations that would be most appreciated by post-college-age adults.
Goolsby: Fans of Rush, you must see this movie for the concert scene. I’m sure you will appreciate.

Where's the Humor: Spectrum
There is something for everyone in this one. You want fart jokes – check. Physical comedy – check. Are you a fan of the cruder sexual humor? Check.

Phipps: I liked the humor of this movie, because it had a little bit of everything – kept it interesting (and shocking). I especially liked that all the jokes seemed necessary given characters and plot. No jokes for the sake of jokes here. I don’t think I’d be too embarrassed watching I Love You, Man with my parents either, which is usually a mark of a winner.

Goolsby: Our first movie review actually has peanuts! At one point during the movie, over a table of empty beer glasses, Peter and Sydney discuss Andre the Giant’s drinking capacity. Of course, in true fashion, The Princess Bride quote comes out – “Anybody want a peanut?” Classic. It was snazzy one-liners like this that kept my snorts flowing. Even the deliver of the main line, “I love you man,” was framed and delivered well. But by far the best comedic thread throughout the movie was the crazy verbal-diarrhea nicknames Peter kept giving Sydney.

Storyline: Male Bonding
This movie kept it simple. Guy proposes to girl, and discovers he has no guy friends to be groomsmen.

Phipps: I Love You, Man doesn’t try to be more than it is, so viewers can just go along with for the ride. It does get its message across: don’t put your boyfriend/girlfriend above your friends…you just might end up with no friends. It’s enjoyable, and a great pick-me-up movie. It’s worth the price of admission.

Delivery: No complaints

Phipps: Paul Rudd was perfect for the role. He can pull off the timid “girlfriend guy” that lets loose in the man cave. Jason Segel also delivers in his role as the potential best friend. I’d bet that everyone who sees this movie will be able to see shades of a Peter Klaven or Sydney Fife in their life…I know I did. The supporting cast also was stellar. I have no complaints. In fact, all I can say is, “all hail the return of Lou Ferrigno!”

Goolsby: You cant half-ass the air guitar, and Paul Rudd did not. He owned it, and well at that. He even owned the man scream under the pier. All the actors in this movie gave it their all, and the audience can tell. I seriously believe that Rudd, in real life, is incapable of using an accent without it coming out like a Leprechaun voice – and that makes me smile.

Phipps overall: 3.5
It’s a solid movie. Enjoyable, but I’m not sure that I want to watch it over and over.

Goolsby overall: 4
You know it’s a winner when you think about it days later, and still laugh.

Goolphipp rating: 3.75 (No Peanuts Chucked)

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