TED - a barrel of laughs covered with fluffy raunch

Ted was an impressive, laudable effort for first time live action director, Seth MacFarlane of renowned Family Guy fame. Ted was pitch perfect for his unique voice comedy imbued within an animated teddy bear and the many vocal talents that show up in the 13 years running sitcom. 

Family Guy fans will no doubt love the film - and they should. It is Family Guy with the gloves off and a welcome R rating. What really impressed me about the film was that raunch was not overdone to the point of just making you feel sick and stupid for watching it. The comedy hit the right notes with a general estimate of 90 to 95% of the jokes and gags succeeding, culminating in truly genuine laughter based upon the audience and my own reaction. Like Project X earlier this year, my jaw hurt afterwords because I couldn't stop freaking smiling and laughing my ass off.

The overall narrative may leave some leaving a bit disappointed because it is nothing very memorable or even all that interesting - but hey - we got a foul mouthed teddy bear animated to lifelike perfection beating the crap out of Mark Wahlberg and a Flash Gordon extended cameo as well as a plethora of creative expletive use and Tom Skerritt. What more could one ask for? Every young boy's wish comes true in Ted. Thank you Peter Griffin! 

Recommended Viewing: Who Framed Roger Rabbit - Seed Of Chucky - Family Guy 

              Bob Scale: Objective: 7.5   -   Subjective: 8.6

             MetaCritic: 59

 Rotten Tomatoes: 69

                      IMDB: 7.6

AMERICAN REUNION - a pie in the face

Better than American Wedding but, alas, not much to hope for in the realm of great comedy. I thought there may have been a glimmer of hope from the first scene but, American Pie, in it's official 4th installment which has been 13 years in the making couldn't quite deliver the goods.

I imagine a true fan of the original will find much to like about this film. They bring back nearly all the original characters to great effect even if only for terse cameos. The actors can all still act and the comedy is still present in their delivery. 

This is a raunch-com and contains all the expected gross out gags and expletive use but the insertion of extended graphic nudity is somewhat rare and if I may be allowed a minor infraction, rather gratifying, save the diaphanous penis. 

My complaints are geared toward the direction of many scenes. Stifler is a comedic gem of a character and if used properly in context, could be a great synergistic asset, yet, nearly all the settings that employ the Stifmeister are dull and poorly delivered. He is given many chances to shine but comes up short - I find this happens occasionally with repetitive characters. You think you can throw them in poor sequences and have them couch atrociously offensive phases and everyone will die laughing - many in the sold out show I was in, could only conjure a snicker. This is what the whole film felt like for me, a poorly structured rehashed rush with nothing new or interesting, minus a diminutive number of genuinely hilarious scenes. Nevertheless, as evidenced by the egregious IMDB rating, many will see and probably enjoy this fluff and will also most likely forget it as they walk back to their vehicle. Be sure and stay for the final scene though, it's a show stopper!

Recommended Viewing: Animal House - Wedding Crashers - Kentucky Fried Movie

              Bob Scale: Objective: 5.0   -   Subjective: 5.7

             MetaCritic: 51

 Rotten Tomatoes: 44

                      IMDB: 7.5

WANDERLUST - a lust for the raunch

I have this bizarre desire to go to the theater to see this type of film. I watch the preview, it makes me laugh and I feel an inner penchant to view it with 300 other sycophantic peers. It must be that I want to laugh so badly that I will pay $13 for just the chance of elation because I know full well that 90% of the time all the laughs are in the preview. However, when you view a comedy in the theater with a number of people exuding palpable energy, it is usually more hilarious than it actually is; how many times have you rented or bought a comedy that you thought in the theater was phenomenal and then watched it at home with a friend or two and been really disappointed the second time around? This is quite the marketing scam. 

Only a few surprise's come around now and then. Bridesmaids was one that was totally worthy of not only your laughs but of your respect as well. The year before was The Hangover which was very good and Superbad before that. Last year they tried the The Hangover II which was awful and I know there are plans to make Superbad II and Bridesmaids II to capitalize on the original successes. The Five Year Engagement due shortly is another attempt to immediately capitalize on Bridesmaids.  Most likely these movies will not succeed because what is generally funny is original concepts and to repeat that is to lose most of the good stuff from the original. 

I love to laugh and will continue to see many of the rauch-coms that come out because there is always a chance for it to blow me away. This one, unfortunately, was far from good and made me squirm in my seat multiple times, not due to raunch but due to in-your-face unfunnyness. I have an affinity for Paul Rudd but even he could not save me from this doomed travelogue. A couple lose their way in life and think the hippie life is the only real way to be alive. Much to their discontent they discover that these wonderful hippies are just as full of deceit and lies as anyone else. DUH. Then everyone lives happily ever after. The end... to another failed attempted at comedy with a message.

Recommended Viewing: Bridesmaids - The 40 Year Old Virgin - The Shape Of Things

              Bob Scale: Objective: 5.0   -   Subjective: 5.2

             MetaCritic: 52

 Rotten Tomatoes: 60

                      IMDB: 6.2