Search results matching tags 'reviews' and 'parody'

"Hot Fuzz" a modern spoof film worth watching

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:20:00 GMT

While channel surfing several weekends ago, I happened upon Naked Gun 33 1/3 airing on Comedy Central. I used to love the Naked Gun series, with Leslie Nielsen portraying a bumbling Lieutenant Frank Drebin. It made me recall some of the other "classic" (I use that word subjectively) spoof films of the late 80s and early 90s, like Spaceballs, Hot Shots!, and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. Okay, so none of these movies are all that great, but I still enjoy them to this day. And it's not just from nostalgia-goggles...the lame, in-your-face comedy cracks me up.

I then thought about the current state of the spoof movie...and it's a bit painful. From the Scary Movie's to Meet the Spartans to Superhero/Date/Epic/Disaster Movie, things have come a long way. In my opinion (and on IMDB & Rotten Tomatoes), most of these movies are unwatchable. But someone's watching them, as they all make millions (and Sci-Fi Movie & Scary Movie 5 are in the works).

It was there, in the midst of that frightening darkness, that I recalled a beacon of hope...a 2007 film called Hot Fuzz. I rewatched it to get the bad taste out of my mouth and was amazed...a modern spoof movie that's witty & funny!

Hot Fuzz, in a nutshell, is a spoof on the "buddy cop" movie (i.e. Rush Hour, Bad Boys) from the guys that created Shaun of the Dead (a romantic comedy, with zombies!). Here's the official plot summary, better than what I could come up with:

Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is the finest cop London has to offer, with an arrest record 400% higher than any other officer on the force. He's so good, he makes everyone else look bad. As a result, Angel's superiors send him to a place where his talents won't be quite so embarrassing - the sleepy and seemingly crime-free village of Sandford.

Once there, he is partnered with the well-meaning but overeager police officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). The son of amiable Police Chief Frank Butterman, Danny is a huge action movie fan and believes his new big-city partner might just be a real-life "bad boy," and his chance to experience the life of gunfights and car chases he so longs for. Angel is quick to dismiss this as childish fantasy and Danny's puppy-like enthusiasm only adds to Angel's growing frustration.

However, as a series of grisly accidents rocks the village, Angel is convinced that Sandford is not what it seems and as the intrigue deepens, Danny's dreams of explosive, high-octane, car-chasing, gunfighting, all-out action seem more and more like a reality. It's time for these small-town cops to break out some big-city justice.

This movie is absolutely hysterical! Pegg & Frost always work great together, and Hot Fuzz continues that trend. Their dialogue, characterization, everything is A+! Every "buddy cop" and over-the-top action movie cliche is taken on here. Whether it's the humorously-overdone gore, the hilariously-brilliant plot you won't see coming, the insane gunfight at the end, the FOUR cliffhanger endings, or "firing your gun in the air and yelling 'aaaahhhhh!!!'" (ala Point Break), you will laugh profusely while watching this movie. Unless you have a condition that prevents you from laughing.

Below is a short clip of one of my favorite scenes. If you find yourself laughing, you owe it to yourself to watch the whole movie!

(Please visit the site to view this media)

More Information

Library Catalog: Check the availability of Hot Fuzz on DVD. The EVPL has widescreen and fullscreen versions.
Theatrical Trailer: Check out the theatrical trailer for a glimpse of the humor, guns, & gore.
User Reviews: The movie has an 8.0/10 rating on IMDB and a 90% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Ain't no party like my nana's tea party!" Flight of the Conchords albums are musically, comedically brilliant

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:13:00 GMT

Flight of the Conchords is an award-winning New Zealand comedy band, self-described as "New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo". While a couple previous blog posts (1 2) talked about their recent TV series on HBO, this post will focus primarily on their music.

Bret McKenzie & Jemaine Clement formed Flight of the Conchords in 1998. They create original songs that parody real songs, both in style and lyrics. With an odd mix of guitar, bass, & synthesizers, along with hilarious lyrics, they cover all the genres: romantic/R&B, rap, pop, new wave, techno, and more!

In 2007, they released their six song EP, The Distant Future, in the US; this album contains three studio tracks and three live tracks. In 2008, they released their self-titled album Flight of the Conchords. The EVPL has both albums, and both are definitely worth checking out! Here are a few of my favorite songs:

"Inner City Pressure": (On Flight of the Conchords) A spot-on parody of the Pet Shop Boys 1985 hit "West End Girls". It received a 2008 Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics". Check out the video below to see for yourself! Here's a snippet of lyrics:

"Counting coins on the counter of the 7-11,
From a quarter past six 'til a quarter to seven.
The manager, Bevin, starts to abuse me
Hey man, I just want some Muesli.
Neon signs, hidden messages,
Questions, answers, fetishes.
You know you're not in high finance,
Considering getting second hand underpants."

"Hiphopopotamus Vs. Rhymenoceros (Featuring Rhymenoceros & The Hiphopopotamus)": (On Flight of the Conchords) A hilariously tame gangsta rap song, featuring too many rap clichés to count. Here's a sampling of the hardcore lyrics:

"They call me the Hiphopopotamus
Flows that glow like phosphorous
Poppin' off the top of this esophagus
Rockin' this metropolis
I’m not a large water-dwelling mammal
Where did you get that preposterous hypothesis?
Did Steve tell you that, perchance?"

"Think About It": (On Flight of the Conchords) A parody in the vein of Marvin Gaye's/Black Eyed Peas' "Where Is the Love?" The lyrics talk about society's ills: violence, AIDS, sweatshop labor, etc.

"They're turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers.
But what's the real cost?
'Cause the sneakers don't seem that much cheaper.
Why are we still paying so much for sneakers
when you got them made by little slave kids?
What are your overheads?"

"The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)": (Studio recording on Flight of the Conchords; live recording on The Distant Future) A rousing, romantic love song to the most beautiful girl (in the room).

"Looking 'round the room
I can tell that you
Are the most beautiful girl.....in the room.
(In the whole wide room.)
And when you're on the street
Depending on the street
I bet that you are definitely in the top three
Good-looking girls on the street.
(Depending on the street.)"

"Not Crying": (On The Distant Future) An emotional break-up ballad, trying to save face.

"I'm not crying. No, I'm not crying.
And if I am crying, it's not because of you.
It's because I'm thinking of a friend of mine who you don't know who is dying.
That's right, dying.
These aren't tears of sadness because you're leaving me.
I've just been cutting onions.
I'm making a lasagna...for one."

This is just a small taste of the Conchords. Check out their albums for the full deal, including some songs I can't mention here.

Finally, if you're a fan of their music, check out the Flight of the Conchords TV show on DVD! Bret & Jemaine play a fictional band that moves from New Zealand to New York to make it big. They're constantly breaking into song (the ones on their albums, along with some additional ones) to tell the story. Quite possibly the funniest show I've seen in a long time!

Here's a video of "Inner City Pressure" as it appeared in "Bret Gives Up the Dream", the 2nd episode of the TV show.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Search for the FotC music CDs and DVDs in our online catalog.
What the Folk!: Unofficial fan site about Flight of the Conchords.
Amazon.com: Purchase CDs, DVDs, & other FotC merchandise using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

"Chuck" is about a nerd that becomes a spy...essentially my life story

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:50:00 GMT

In the television show Chuck, Charles "Chuck" Bartowski plays your typical 20-something computer-geek, stuck in a dead-end job at Buy More's Nerd Herd (a less-than-subtle parody of Best Buy's Geek Squad). He lives an uneventful life with his sister Ellie, until one day when he receives an email from his long-lost friend Bryce. Turns out Bryce is a rogue CIA agent, and his email contains an entire government database of top secret info, which embeds itself into Chuck's brain upon viewing.

Both the NSA and CIA want the intelligence returned to them and dispatch agents of their own - Major John Casey and Sarah Walker - to "retrieve" that data. When the original database is destroyed, Chuck has the only copy of that data, so he is forced to become a spy. Chuck's decision to keep his new-found occupation a secret from his family and friends, and to live his life as normally as possible, forces Casey and Walker to establish an uneasy alliance and secret identities (Walker poses as Chuck's girlfriend and takes a cover job at the local restaurant next to the Buy More while Casey gets a job at the Buy More), with the shared goal of protecting Chuck at all costs.

Seeing specific people/things causes Chuck to "flash", subliminally retrieving data about the person/object from the government database in his mind. Chuck uses this ability to help John & Sarah thwart evildoers and save the entire world from impending doom.

Sarah is an incredibly attractive female spy, and as they continue their "fake" relationship Chuck's feelings for her become real. There is lots of romantic tension, often mocked by smart-aleck comments by John (portrayed by Adam Baldwin, of Full Metal Jacket & Firefly/Serentity fame).

This show is brilliant, tied with The Office as my favorite current TV show. The cast is excellent, with real chemistry. The plots, while far-fetched, are extremely well-thought out, always resulting in hilarity and the unexpected. And the emotion evoked by the tension between Chuck & Sarah (not helped by Ellie's constant "I'm so happy you finally found a girlfriend" remarks), his belief that Sarah is way out of his nerd-league, the experiences with his ex-girlfriend (who re-appears in season 2), and his quest for more (a normal life and better job, for starters) creates endearing, genuine characters.

Season 1 was released on DVD & Blu-ray a couple months ago, and season 2 (which is even better than season 1) is currently airing on Monday nights at 7pm on NBC. It's a show you really need to watch in order, so check out the season 1 DVDs, catch up on the previous season 2 episodes at NBC.com, and watch the latest episode every Monday night!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check on the availability of Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD at EVPL libraries.
NBC.com: Official website of Chuck. Find out more about the show, and watch full episodes from season 2!
Amazon: Buy Chuck: The Complete First Season on DVD or Blu-ray using these links, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

"Air Guitar Nation" cranks the make-believe volume up to 11

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:58:00 GMT

How many times has this happened to you...you're listening to music and an epic guitar solo comes on. What do you do?!? You bust out the air guitar, showing onlookers the musical virtuoso you are.

Apparently, air guitar is bigger than I realized. Since 1996, Oulu, Finland has been the home of the Air Guitar World Championships. Essentially the Olympics of air guitar, contestants from all around the world compete to bring this coveted trophy back to their home country. Competitions consist of two rounds: in the first, contestants perform a song of their choosing. The second round is a song picked by the judges, not revealed until the competition, that contestants have to improv. Contestants are judged based on their "airness" and pure rock-ness.

Sadly, the US did not participate on this world stage until 2003. It was then that Americans realized what a travesty this was and the US Air Guitar Championships were founded. After a series of regional competitions, the best performers go to Finland to represent the US.

Air Guitar Nation is a documentary (more along the lines of This is Spinal Tap than a traditional documentary) about the founding of the US Air Guitar Championships, the first competitions in the US, and the journey to the 2003 World Championships (including an air guitar training camp!) in Finland. You'll meet many of the zany US performers, including C. Diddy and Björn Türoque, whose fierce rivalry becomes a central focus of the film.

Air Guitar Nation is extremely entertaining, hilarious, and very well made. How does the US fare in their first outing in the World Championships? Watch the movie and find out for yourself!

Movie Trailer

(Please visit the site to view this media)

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of Air Guitar Nation at EVPL libraries.
Amazon.com: Buy the movie using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!
AirGuitarNation.com: Official website of the movie.
AirGuitarUSA.com: Official website of the US Air Guitar Championships.
AirGuitarWorldChampionships.com: Official website of the Air Guitar World Championships.

Me First & the Gimme Gimmes punk-ify the classics

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:58:00 GMT

Musical parody...such a fine art. Back in the day, I was a big "Weird Al" Yankovic fan ("It's all about the Pentiums, baby!"). There are also bands that take well-known music and reinterpret it: some of my favs include Hayseed Dixie (they play AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Van Halen, etc. as bluegrass!), Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine (90s-00s rock as lounge music), and the String Quartet Tribute series (Dylan, Clapton, Evanescence, Eagles, Rolling Stones).

My favorite parody band is, hands down, Me First & the Gimme Gimmes. On their albums, they take a wide variety of popular tunes and turn em into blazing punk rock songs. That probably doesn't sound too appealing...but you'd be pleasantly surprised. They are masters of their craft, creating a catchy, brilliant mix of new and old...nothing beats hearing "Ghost Riders in the Sky" with blaring power chords, a constant bassline, and driving toms with double-kick on the drums!

Below I'll list the albums the EVPL has, the particular theme, as well as highlights from each album.

Are A Drag
1999
Showtunes!

This album features covers of beloved showtunes, including "Over the Rainbow", "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "Favorite Things", and "Rainbow Connection". I'm not that big of a showtunes fan (surprising, right?), but I love their interpretations of the songs I do know!

Blow in the Wind
2001
60s songs

Covers of songs from the 60s, including "Blowin' in the Wind", "Sloop John B.", "Elenor", "Stand by Your Man", and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow".

Take a Break
2003
R&B songs

An amazing collection of classic R&B songs, punkified. Highlights include "Where Do Broken Hearts Go", "Hello", "Ain't No Sunshine", "I Believe I Can Fly", and "Nothing Compares 2 U". A couple songs mash-up other songs with brilliant results: their cover of "I'll Be There" incorporates parts of The Cars' "Just What I Needed".

Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah
2004

This album doesn't have a "theme", per se, as it's a compilation of awesome tracks they performed live at...you guessed it, Jonny's Bar Mitzvah. This album features covers of "Stairway to Heaven", "Come Sail Away", "Strawberry Fields Forever", "The Longest Time", "On My Mind", and "Take It on the Run". Between the tracks, there's also lots of hilarious banter.

Love Their Country
2006
Country

I am not a fan of country music (I was subjected to it by my dad & sis when I was young), so I find this particular album hilarious! Check out "Ghost Riders in the Sky", "Desperado", "Jolene", "On the Road Again", and "East Bound & Down" to hear these songs rock like you've never heard them before!

The Gimmes are brilliantly hilarious, as well as being excellent musicians, so I highly recommend checking them out!

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check availability of albums by Me First & the Gimme Gimmes at EVPL libraries.
DailyMotion: Watch the Gimmes perform "Take it on the Run" live on Last Call with Carson Daly.
Amazon.com: Use this link to purchase their albums at Amazon, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!

"Spaced" a short-lived, hilarious TV comedy

professor.knowsitall@evpl — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:02:00 GMT

I'm a fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. In the States, this comedic duo is best known for Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz (both of which I highly recommend!). They got their start in a British television comedy called Spaced; it ran for two seasons (14 episodes total) during 1999-2001. It finally made its way to the US this past July in a DVD box set of the entire series.

It's a very difficult show to describe...so, ripped from Wikipedia:

Tim Bisley (Pegg) and Daisy Steiner (Jessica Hynes) are two London twenty-somethings who meet by chance in a cafe while both are flat-hunting. Despite barely knowing each other, they conspire to pose as a young professional couple in order to meet the requisites of an advertisement for a relatively cheap flat, in the distinctive building at 23 Meteor Street, Tufnell Park, which is owned by and also houses the landlady, Marsha Klein. Also in the building is Brian Topp, an eccentric conceptual artist who lives and works on his various pieces in the ground floor flat. Frequent visitors are Tim's best friend, Mike Watt (Frost) and Daisy's best friend, Twist Morgan.

The series largely concerns the colorful and surreal adventures of Tim and Daisy as they navigate through life, decide on what they want to do with their lives, come to terms with affairs of the heart, and try to figure out new and largely unproductive ways of killing time. Tim and Daisy repeatedly stress that they aren't a couple to everyone but Marsha, but despite (or because of) this, romantic tension develops between them, particularly during the second series.

The central comedic conceit of the series is that it portrays the rather ordinary lives of Daisy and Tim using overblown Hollywood blockbuster clichés.

Like their forays into Hollywood, Spaced provides non-stop laughs, constant pop-culture parodies, crazy camerawork, a great cast, and a surprising amount of character development.

With 5 stars on Amazon, a 9.8/10 rating on IMDB, and my rave review, Spaced comes highly recommended.

More Information

EVPL Catalog: Check the availability of and/or place a hold on Spaced.
Amazon.com: Buy it at Amazon and support the Public Library Friends!
Wikipedia: Find out about the history of the show.