Forgettig Sarah Marshall

The Summer movie season officially starts in May (at least that’s what I’m told). Audiences are in for a treat with the new comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I love how funny/ironic relationships can be. The same things that can make you laugh hysterically can drive you crazy the next minute. It was great to see some of that on film.

In Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Peter (Jason Segel) breaks up with his TV star girlfriend, Sarah (Kristen Bell). After being a mess for weeks, he decides to take a vacation to Hawaii and stay at an exclusive resort. The only problem is that Sarah is staying at the resort too with her new boyfriend, rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand).

The premise for the movie alone is pretty funny. I ranked this movie #6 on my list of movies to see this summer. After watching it, I should have ranked it a little higher………definitely ahead of Semi-Pro.

Jason Segel does a great job as Peter. He’s very believable as the guy who dated a girl who was out of his league, then has to come to grips with them not being together. I really could have done without the frontal male nudity. They should have warning signs that pop up on the screen so you know to cover your eyes. He was able to carry the movie and not to mention the fact that I’ve been singing that Dracula song since Friday night.

No comedy is complete without beautiful co-stars. Mila Kunis was great in the film as Rachel. I’ll go on record as saying I didn’t know she was that cute. This role should bump her up a few notches on Maxim’s Hot 100 list for next year. She’ll be the “it” girl that all the guys will be buzzing about after the movie. There is something attractive about someone who can really play the sweet innocent girl or the really bad I-think-you-may-be-a-psycho girl. Maybe psycho is the new sexy. Kristen Bell was last seen in Heroes strike shortened season. Bell was able to pull of her role as Sarah Marshall. She was surprisingly funny in her CSI like TV show.

The supporting cast which includes Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, and Jack McBrayer did a good job filling in for some of the movies funnier moments. The surprise comedy comes from Russell Brand who plays Sarah’s new boyfriend, Aldous. Some of the one-liners he delivers are gut busting. You mix that with his accent and you get a great sleazy Euro pop star boyfriend. The kind of guy that most men love to hate. He may easily win the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain

My suggestion: It’s one of the first “must see” movies of the year. If you don’t like dirty jokes or as my friend would say raunchy comedy, don’t see this movie. It reminded me why I love comedy so much. It’s a hilarious look at one of the most uncomfortable situations, seeing your recent ex with a new love. They make light of the situation, but this film will definitely have you thinking of what you might do in that situations. This is a great comedy and I hope more people go to see it.

Glow In The Dark Tour

The Glow In The Dark tour was amazing. Seattle was the first stop on the tour, and I was able to rock with everybody.

Lupe Fiasco opened the show. If you’ve ever seen him live, you know he’s high energy. He was able to get the crowd hyped. Lupe did Hip Hop You Saved Me that was a crowd pleaser. Matthew Santos and his mohawk joined Lupe to perform Fighters and Superstar. I like Lupe. I wanted to hear more of some of his mixtape music.

N.E.R.D’s performance was crazy. They came out to a new song that was amazing. Its official, the ladies still love Skateboard P. They did some original N.E.R.D songs from their first album In Search Of. One of my favorite sets of the night was when they performed Rock Star. I don’t know if it was the live band or the fact that everybody new the words to the song. I think that’s the point where I started to lose my voice. I’m looking forward do their new album. Pharrell came out after their performance and addressed the crowd. He apologized for losing his voice due to the smoke machine. He said he heard there was a five year old in the crowd and wanted to apologize for using profanity around the kids. I thought that was a good gesture Skateboard P loves the kids!

Even though I don’t own a single Rhianna record, and she’s not on my iPod, her show was good. She had all these crazy colors, dancers, lighting. The crowd seemed really into it. It was an easy transition for the ladies who went from screaming for P to screaming for Rhianna. I feel like I heard Umbrella a zillion times due to radio and TV. Ri-Ri ripped it live. I think we all secretly sing the song when we are alone so it was cool to sing it out loud and guilt free as a 29 year old man.

Kanye stole the show (of course). He was on stage for close to two hours. I couldn’t believe it. He had a whole spaceship theme. I won’t ruin it for any of your readers but he has a lot of visual effects. I was reminded why he was one of my favorite performers. He was insane! He performed for what seemed like forever. How he had all that energy, I don’t know. He really put his all into the show. It was so visually stunning that you didn’t want to take your eyes off the stage. Kanye had everything from smoke to flames, fog, dolls. There weren’t a whole lot of frills to his show. Just Kanye and a microphone. He spit with so much venom. My favorite performance of his was “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” that hit hard. His new version of Hey Mama was good too. The crowed was screaming! It looked like he got a little emotional at one point the crowd cheered even louder. You can say Ye is big headed or egotistical, but he knows how to put on a show. We need more performers like that.

If the show is coming to your town GO CHECK IT OUT. I promise it will be worth every penny. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been too. I would have felt dumb if I didn’t go. All the acts were high energy. I didn’t sit down for 4 hours. I’d go see the concert again if it came back to town. People are in for a treat and they don’t even know it.

Not So Romantic Comedies

SPOILER ALERT!!!!
If you haven't seen any of these movies, I will be giving away some plot details (as if they aren't already predictable). I apologize in advance

I went to see Juno with one of my female friends and they showed a trailer for Definitely, Maybe. My friend leans over to me and says, "Awww that looks cute". I was thinking that movie is about a guy telling his daughter about his past relationships. How appropriate is that? Who in the world would want to watch that?

The sad truth was that a lot of women would watch that movie and movies just like it.

It reminded me of a girl I dated who must have uttered the phrase, "Just like in Love Actually…… (fill in her irrational comparison)" at least a hundred times. Not only that, but she quoted the movie like a preacher would quote bible verses during a sermon.

I think she believed what she was watching was real. I had to remind her that Love Actually is not a documentary. Sadly, after surveying friends and co-workers I realized that the young woman was not alone. Brace yourself fellas, because most women see these movies the same way no matter age, race, class, or even their level of education.

After subjecting myself to hours of "romantic comedies" I realized that most of these movies weren't romantic, most of them were unrealistic, and unapologetically sappy. They were so unrealistic to the point where I felt I was watching the Sci-Fi Channel only all the movies involved earth and people falling in love.

Wow! That was quick

A common theme in these movies seems to be how fast these couples fall in love. How To Lose a Guy in 10 days basically gives it away in the title. After spending 8 days not being themselves the two suddenly fall prey to Cupid's arrow? I find that hard to believe. Has this ever happend? Dishonesty is exactly how I want to start off my next relationship.

Anyone who has ever been in love, or at least thought they were, knows how insane the premise for that movie is.
Fools Rush In may hold the Guinness record for falling in love after 24 hours with a three month gap in between. I wish I could find love that fast! It's like fast food relationships. We all know how healthy fast food is.

That's Soooooooooo Inappropriate

Some of the relationships in these films are wildly inappropriate. Somehow women seem to be okay with relationships in these movies that any rational/normal person would be completely against in real life. Don't believe me?

One of my sister's favorite movies is While You Were Sleeping. The movie is about a subway worker who is obsessed with a stranger. Before she can fall for him, he falls into a coma. His family then mistakes her for his fiancée. Instead of telling the truth, she goes right along with the story. To top it all off, she falls for his brother. How is that okay?

If I read this story on CNN it would be a scandal, and I think most women I know would would be outraged. In this movie you are made to feel for Sandra Bullock's character. She's just a woman looking for love…………..not a liar.

The most draw dropping example is my favorite movie of all time Love Actually. One of the stories the movie depicts is a man who's madly in love with a woman that is recently married. What's the problem? It's his best friend who she is married too. Once she realizes how he feels, he shows up at her door with cue cards (how cute) professing his love to her. Did I mention that it's his best friend's wife? After the cue card stunt, he walks away with this accomplished look on his face, and she chases him down and kisses him. IT'S HIS BEST FRIENDS WIFE!

Maybe that was too soon?

The promiscuity in these movies is off the charts. What's not even on the charts are how damaging it really is.

In the opening scene of How to Lose, one of the characters is complaining that this guy is not calling her back. She mentions that she slept with the guy after two days. After discussing the issue with her friends they come to the conclusion that she calls him too much. Ummmm maybe you shouldn't have slept with someone who doesn't know your last name. I'm not a gambling man, but I would bet that may be why he's not calling you.

Last time I checked, women don't like other women who sleep around. I hear it all the time with my friends, at work, at the gym. If I told my friends I was dating that girl my female friends would give me the "I don't know about her" speech. My female friends also love that movie. Go figure

When Pigs Fly

There are moments in a lot of these films where I say, "Yeah right!"

Fools Rush In is one of moments for me. It's a wonderful story about a man who's on business from New York to Vegas. On this trip he has a one-night stand. He doesn't hear from the girl for three months and finds out she's pregnant. He decides to step up to the responsibility and propose? Maybe he skipped a few steps. I think that's ridiculous

Pretty Woman falls in the category. She's a prostitute (yes she is) and you want her to find love. How ridiculous is that they should do a Pretty Woman II: I Thought You Were Going to Quit.

How To Lose lost me early in the film. The wonderful scene where they are at the Knicks game. It's the NBA Finals and she asks him to get her a drink with 1:00 left in the game. Not only did he go once, but he went it TWICE. He eventually misses the end of the game. I still refuse to acknowledge that scene. As a sports fan you don't know how painful that was to watch. I know some die hard Knick fans. There would have definately been a homicide at MSG that day.

Now I really don't dislike these movies. I think they serve a purpose in film, an even greater purpose for young women. It is good to know that people want the finer things in life like love, happiness, romance. I think both men and women essentially want the same things. I just need women to realize how out of control these movies can be. Women should not be allowed to reference them in arguments, discussions, or use them as measuring sticks for their lives/relationships. When you get down and out (as we all do), don't sulk on your couch eating ice cream thinking, "When is a guy going to come me off my feet". It happens................just not like you see in the movies.

On second thought, the next time I'm in an argument I'm going to make my point saying, "Noooooo because in Batman Begins…"