Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues: NR #57

Continuing this week of reviews, I'm going to critic the newest Will Ferral comedy that has been, in many people's minds, long over due. Does it live up to the original, or is it too late. Let's find out in my review of...

PLOT

Set in the year of 1989, "Anchorman 2" continues the story of Ron Burgundy and his San Diego news crew. In this chapter of the legend, we find the crew being introduced and becoming apart of the new way of reading the news, 24 hour news. But when the crew ends up in the 2-5 a.m slot, Burgundy decides that they should start telling what the public wants to hear and not what they need to hear.

PROS

While the humor is different from the 9 year old original, "The Legend Continues" is still very funny. I found many moments where I was laughing hard, and annoyingly loud.

Will Ferrell falls right back into the roll of Ron Burgundy, it's almost as if he never stopped playing this character.

One thing the movie has over the original is that it has a message to it. While it is obvious, you could probably figure it out by the plot description alone, it's done very well and takes a few good shots at modern news stations.

CONS

While the movie is funny, there are slightly more misses then hits. One reason is because the humor is so different from the original. It's much more random and non-sensical, which means there are a ton of throw away lines. There are also a lot of scenes that go on way to long, the biggest offender being the dinner scene between Burgundy and a black family. While it's kinda funny at first, it gets almost racist by the end of it's long run.

While they are prominent in the beginning, everyone who's not Burgundy or Brick are thrown by the wayside. The people given the biggest shaft are Paul Rudd and David Koechner. They are given nothing to do and just stand around and...look.

CONCLUSION

While not as funny or memorable as first, "Anchorman 2" still supplies plenty of laughs and silliness to please fans, like myself, of the first one. Just don't go in expecting a masterpiece of comedy

    

The Wolf of Wall Street: NR #56

I've decided that from now on, whenever I go on a long hiatus or don't update one week, I won't even acknowledge it. I've done it so many times now I'm starting to run out of things to say. So this time, in order to make up for the break, I'm going to review a movie everyday this week to bring in the new year! 

So to start out this game of catch-up, I'll be reviewing a new release from this past Christmas, the new and highly anticipated film from Martin Scorces that almost didn't come out this year. A film I'd been dying to see ever since I heard the concept. This is my review of...

PLOT

Starting in the late 80's, "The Wolf of Wall Street" tells the real life rise and fall story of Jordan Belfort, a Wall Street big shot who's love of money brought him to Wall Street and his shady business practices gave him his near billions. While his love for money pushed him up in the world, his equal love for drugs and sex will be his downfall. That doesn't mean he can't have fun on the way down!

PROS 

While I'm sure no one will be surprised by this, Leonardo DiCaprio gives a knockout performance. He seems to be having a ton of fun with the role and brings his all. This fun aspect comes from all the other actors as well. The other stand-out in this film is Jonah Hill, who gives a funny yet solid performance.

Rounding out the cast is a plethora of excellent supporting characters played by the likes of Rob Reiner, director of "Princess Bride" and "Stand By Me", Jean Dujardin, and Matthew McConaughey in a criminally short role. While these people aren't in the film too often, they do give it their all.

While you may think this film will be comedy-drama, it actually is a straight up comedy, and one of funniest ones I've seen all year. There's always something hilarious happening and it always gets a big laugh, at least out of me. There is one scene in particular where DiCaprio takes some strong drugs. It's the funniest thing I've seen all year and it goes on for 10 minutes,  never losing it's ability to make me laugh.

Not only funny, this movie is also a ton of fun. I haven't had this much fun in a movie all year. There are many party scenes and other scenes of debauchery that are just amazing to watch.

While the film is one minute short of 3 hours, it never feels that long. There's always something happening that I didn't feel the time until I got out of the theater and checked the time. 

CONS

Really there's nothing I have a problem with here.

CONCLUSION

I'm not sure if I got this across in my review, but this is one of my favorite movies of the year. While it's not trying to have a big message or reinvent the wheel, it is trying to be crude, crazy, controversial and have fun while doing it. In that aspect, it succeeded with flying colors and blew me. I haven't stopped thinking about it ever since I saw it yesterday. If you can handle copious amounts of cursing, nudity, drugs, and partying, then this film is perfect for you.

RATING

RUN TO!!