Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

When he finds out that his work superiors host a dinner celebrating the idiocy of their guests, a rising executive questions it when he’s invited, just as he befriends a man who would be the perfect guest. (IMDb)

Carell’s schuperb schmuck schtick (“I guess you could say I’m an eternal optometrist”) centers this film, contributing to its great odd couple comedy, driving its excruciating Murphy’s law plot (the brunch scene was a marvel of awkward horror), and providing hints of heart too. The potential inspirational message is botched in the messy pivotal dinner scene (Barry’s beautiful dream presentation was overshadowed by the dumb hi-jinx afterwards) but the reunion at Tim’s place was a nice recovery.

7/10 (Good)

 

Men in Black 3 (2012)

Agent J travels in time to M.I.B.’s early days in 1969 to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history. (IMDb)

The key to this film’s success is that Brolin as a young Agent K is marvelous and has the same entertaining chemistry with Smith’s J as TLJ did. The future-past mash-up, meanwhile, adds both extra fun to the dynamic as well as hints of intriguing character work (“What happened to you man?”; see also the final reveal). Stuhlbarg’s manic Griffin and Clement’s delightfully over-the-top villain (see his hilarious interaction with his past self) are great secondary characters that fill things out.

7.5/10 (Really Good)

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav are vampires who are finding that modern life has them struggling with the mundane – like paying rent, keeping up with the chore wheel, trying to get into nightclubs, and overcoming flatmate conflicts. (IMDb)

The perfectly deadpan doc-style delivery is delightful as it presents with wonderful wit and mirthfully morbid frankness mundane expositions on the typical vampire lore, from watching sunrises on Youtube to debating over who has to clean the bloody dishes. Many clever mini-storylines (newbie Nick’s integration into the group is one highlight) and hilarious characters (see the never-fazed software programmer Stu and the pack of rational werewolves) add even further humour to this great premise.

8/10 (Great)