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Your Sister’s Sister starring Emily Blunt, Mark Duplass and Rosemarie DeWitt: Funny, Heartfelt and Adorable

Posted on January 31, 2014 Written by ripitup

Your Sister’s Sister is a lovely low-budget drama/comedy written and directed by Lynn Shelton. This 2011 film stars Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie Dewitt, and is funnier and more original than the trailer suggests. Oh, and it’s very emotional, naturally-acted and should not be dismissed as a chick flick (not that there aren’t some great chick flicks that I love, and I refuse to use it as a derogatory term, since I am a chick and I love certain romantic flicks).

Let’s move on the plot:

Jack (Mark Duplass) is still depressed a year after the death of his brother so his best friend Iris (Emily Blunt), who also happens to be the ex of the dead brother, tells him to go to her family’s remote cabin to sort himself out. The plan gets sidetracked when he finds Iris’ half sister Hannah (Rosemarie Dewitt) there, trying to get over the break-up with her girlfriend.

They get along fabulously, drink a lot, and end up in bed together. The next day Iris shows up, and a panicked Jack tries to convince Hannah to keep it a secret. Hannah can’t understand why they need to, especially since Jack claims to have no feelings for Iris. But when Iris confides in Hannah that she might be in love with Jack, she agrees.

But of course the secret will eventually come out, cause more secrets to be spilled and things will get very emotional.

As I said, the movie is extremely sweet, honest, entertaining and emotional. At times it’s funny too, but I’d say it’s more emotional drama than romantic comedy.

Give it a shot. It also has some hilarious, but very logical tips when it comes to how to handle your family and romantic relationships.

The Mentalist: End of an Era – Disappointed by Red John, Happy to See Him “Go”

Posted on December 22, 2013 Written by ripitup

I wrote this post after episode 6.8, where Patrick finally caught Red John. And even though I was disappointed by his identity, I’m glad that storyline is behind us. Episodes 6.9 and 10 have been different, in a really good way. Lighter, smart and fun- just the way we like our Patrick. Or let’s say we had enough of the depressed/darker Patrick. Since we are on a break, let’s say goodbye to RJ and celebrate the end of an era…

Warning: This post includes spoilers for The Mentalist pilot, finale and movies Fight Club and Identity

Ah, the good old days when we met Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) for the first time: the former psychic who joined CBI (the fictional California Bureau of Investigation) after a serial killer known as Red John killed his wife and daughter.

Remember that shocking and highly impressive first episode where he just figured the killer out from the mother’s expressions, her style and taste?

Remember that adorable, slightly cocky guy who asked all the controversial questions, made himself tea in the victim’s home and got the killer shot by his own wife after she found out what he did?

Good times. Gritty, complicated plots; sense of humor and lightness combined with repressed depression, grief and anger; a guy who made you laugh, smile and scratch your head while he solved cases fast so he and his team could have more time to figure out Red John’s identity and well, Patrick could kill him.

Interesting premise, awesome leading character, fun supporting characters, some terrific lines…

But then something happened along the way. Because after a while, nothing Jane did surprised us anymore. So it lost the shocking, or at least impossibly captivating effect. I used to want to watch 4-5 episodes in a row and that didn’t feel enough, until one a week seemed all right.

Still, like many fans, I held on. I wanted to know who Red John is. I also wanted to see a RJ-free Patrick.

But then something else happened. The show made too much of a big deal about Red John. They made him impossibly charismatic, manipulative, smart, dangerous, cunning, resourceful…You see where I’m going with this? Red John was like that killer in Se7en and more, always a couple of steps ahead.

He was so super influential that he had disciples. He had men and women willing to die & kill for him. So after a while, the cult leader Brett Stiles (Malcolm McDowell) seemed like a man who could pull it off. He had the resources. And while I didn’t see the charm and charisma, he already had a cult to do anything for him. So if the writers hadn’t given us a younger Red John, Stiles could have worked.

The longer the show lasted, the longer Red John story line got. He/she became more powerful, more influential. He got too big, dangerous and super-powerful for the show’s own good. And it came to the point where I just wanted them to get it over with. End of season 3 could have been the place to say goodbye…

One popular theory among fans was that PJ was Red John. Now, it would be spectacularly disappointing in many ways as we had come to accept and know Patrick as a decent, loving guy who, despite his faults, would do anything to protect his loved ones. A loving husband/father avenging the death of his loved ones revealed to be the killer? Nope, thanks.

A Dissociative Identity Disorder (aka Multiple Personality Disorder) “twist” would destroy the Patrick we grew to love, and would give us a not-welcome déjà vu feeling. It was once a great twist ending for books and movies. But even with Identity, I was disappointed. But now that I know who RJ is, PJ could be the better choice.

There was also the theory of one Patrick’s team members could be working for Red John. That wouldn’t work, as it would undermine Patrick’s intelligence and ability to read people.

When the 7 suspects were revealed, I didn’t like any of them for RJ. I wished that it would turn out to be a fake. That there would be a surprise.

There wasn’t. Now, of all the ones on the list, FBI agent Reede and Gale Bertrum are in deed worse candidates than the revealed Red John. They lack the charisma, IQ and the manipulative skills promised. They are also not eerie or scary one bit. Creepy, yes. Red John-level charisma? No way.

McAllister aka Red John showed up in season 1, as a sheriff of a town where one of the crimes was committed. He then showed up a couple of more times after the list, but that’s it.

McAllister being Red John feels like writers put the names in a box and then pulled with eyes closed and went ahead with the choice, no further questions asked.

Now, I’m not claiming I could have written a better show. But had I been on the writing/producing team, I’d have definitely voted for a different Red John. I’d also have a different list of suspects, if there absolutely had to be one. I’m not a big fan of the Blake association either.

Now that RJ is gone, I’m happy we moved on. Of course if this was a trick, they have this awesome Red John hidden somewhere that wasn’t on the list, I hope they won’t dedicate many episodes to it.

The Mentalist suffered from the serialized show curse. They made the big bad really big and bad, and in the end, we got a disappointing reveal and showdown.

Red John aka Sheriff McAllister. Image via wikpedia.

I’m loving the happy Patrick. I hope RJ storyline died with the Blake Association storyline. Looking forward to the return of the show on January 5th.

How about you? How happy are you with the seasons, the identity of Red John and how he was revealed and taken out? Are you enjoying the post-RJ era?

Other Posts on The Mentalist

The Mentalist Season 3: Patrick Jane is back with episodes 1 & 2

The Mentalist Review

The Mentalist vs . Castle – fun characters and plots comparison

Other Posts on Simon Baker

Book of Love starring Simon Baker, Frances O’Connor & Gregory Smith

The Guardian TV Show starring Simon Baker

Not Forgotten starring Simon Baker

Something New starring Simon Baker

The Lodger starring Simon Baker, Shane West, Alfred Molina and Hope Davis

This Is The End: Would Work Much Better as an SNL Stint

Posted on December 13, 2013 Written by ripitup

This Is The End cast — This Is The End survivors. Image via ign.com.

I wasn’t sure about This Is The End. I wanted to see it, because the idea is really cool, and some of my favorite humor has been about celebrities making fun of themselves in TV shows or on live stints. For instance:

Gerard Butler and Saturday Night Live

Writing Humor That Cracks You Up 1: Poking Fun at Oneself Unashamedly (includes Kevin Bacon, Dermot Mulroney and more.)

I didn’t want to see This Is The End because I wasn’t sure I’d be laughing that much at Seth Rogen. I have nothing against the guy, but I’ve liked him a lot more in drama. Same goes for Jonah Hill. Or if he’s doing comedy, I want Channing Tatum and a Johnny Depp cameo, aka 21 Jump Street.

And apparently, I like Jay Baruchel a lot more when he comes with Nicolas Cage, Alfred Molina and Teresa Palmer, aka The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It might be mindless entertainment, but it is very entertaining, and sometimes that’s enough.

Now, I have a soft spot for James Franco because of Freaks and Geeks, as well as Tristan & Isolde. But his character wasn’t any more entertaining than Rogen’s. And maybe a little less annoying than Hill’s.

Also, there’s the chance the humor could/would overuse jokes about weed, guys being around other guys and then sum. Too bad I was more right about my reservations than my enthusiasm.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying I hated the movie. I just hated some parts of it (especially if it included Michael Cera. How was that supposed to be funny other than his death scene? That was enjoyable.)

I laughed a bit, but I was more disappointed. I had to fast-forward quite a bit.

On the plus side, writing a review is easy because I don’t have to remember character names. Everyone plays themselves.

Let’s go over the good and the bad.

The Good (Also The Funny & Fun):

– Two guys (Rogen and Baruchel) having weedy bromance moments and the background music is Backstreet Boys. That’s hilariously weird. And 90s.

– Seth Rogen being greeted by reporters at the airport and is told he always plays himself.

– Seth being on a cleanse which includes smoking, weed and hamburgers.

– Also him thinking gluten is the mother of evil, and not knowing what it actually is.

– Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel finding themselves in the middle of Armageddon, and screaming like crazy, trying to survive until they head back to Franco’s.

– James Franco and party folk not having a clue the word outside is falling apart and not believing Baruchel, and Rogen selling out Baruchel to maintain believability.

– Emma Watson surviving and thinking they are in a zombie apocalypse.

– Remaining guys shooting a sequel to the Pineapple Express at home and watching it for fun.

– The ending with the Backstreet Boys cameo. Considering where and when Baruchel makes a wish, it’s too ridiculous not to be hilarious.

The Bad:

– Danny McBride: his fictional Danny takes obnoxious to a new level, and I think a character wouldn’t be that obnoxious/selfish/stupid in real world. Or people would have killed him. Seriously.

– The repetitive, unfunny jokes.

-Getting high in the middle of world ending. Yeah, sure, do that. Get extra hungry and thirsty and risk sickness. That’s cool.

– The dialogue in general.

-The Channing Tatum cameo. You want to use Tatum for comedy? Great. Have him scream his head off in a shrill voice when he is faced with real danger. Don’t make him McBride’s bitch. Literally.

I have nothing against well-done, R-rated comedies. And I don’t mind political incorrectness. Or actors playing similar characters, if those characters are likeable and plots of the movies vary enough. Some of my favorite comedies of all time are Old School, Wedding Crashers and The Hangover (the first one). But not all absurd comedies click with you (like The Hangover sequel).

I think the movie would have worked a lot better if it ran for 5-10 minutes instead of 107 minutes.

Hey, all reviews and criticisms are obviously objective. However sometimes the “average” views and ratings baffle you. Like when this gets a 7.0 on IMDB. I’d have been OK with a 4 or 5. If I had seen it at the theater though, I’d have rated much lower (than 5).

So have you seen it? What did you think?

Hostages 1×11 Review & Why Duncan and Ellen Kissing Makes Sense (Yeah, I’m Serious!)

Posted on December 3, 2013 Written by ripitup

Dylan McDermott (Duncan) kissing Toni Collette (Ellen). Image via youtube.com.

*For a general review of the show without spoilers, please read Hostages starring Dylan McDermott, Toni Collette & Tate Donovan

Hostages 1 x11

Apart from the scenes between Duncan’s father-in-law and his wife’s real mother being a bit too long, and me suspecting Sandrine having serious personality issues, this has been a really fun, well-paced episode with some important events. Of course the highlight (or the lowest point, depending on your point of view), is the kiss. First:

Let’s Go Over The Plot (Caution: Spoilers all over!)

Duncan (Dylan McDermott) and team needs to go to New York so that they can save the president’s life. After all they he needs the president at the hospital alive for getting bone marrow for his wife. So they lock the family inside, giving them pretty of supplies. As being hostages go, surely being locked in the grand bedroom with a bathroom, food and untied family members is not the worst thing.

They however need the blueprints of the buildings near the church the president will be visiting, so they ask the husband who can access them through his work. Of course our dear douchey husband, who has been extra rebellious after having revealed his affair to Ellen (Toni Collette) and not getting dumped, refuses.

So Duncan takes Ellen outside, as Ellen gestures him to. He takes Ellen out and locks the rest of them in. She tells him she can get the documents, so he gives her the key and instructs her to run with her family if he doesn’t make it.

As Duncan and team are in New York, desperately needing the plans, Ellen comes through. She has obtained the plans from her husband’s mistress (Hilarie Burton), explaining their weird situation with a lie that actually makes sense, and learning more douchey facts about her husband (Tate Donovan). Like apparently, he has said their marriage is a lie. (Ouch. Captor 1, husband 0. More on this later.)

Sandrine (Sandrine Holt) goes back and forth between betraying the team and helping, and she finally comes through. They take out the shooters. Sandrine previously shared another emotional moment with Duncan’s brother-in-law (Rhys Coiro). I like the guy, but his plot with Sandrine doesn’t interest me.

Because of all the morally gray characters they’ve tried to characters, hers is the one I’m not buying. Besides, it would have been nice to see an ex female soldier without so many weaknesses. Human, yes. Mutli-dimensional? Maybe. Interesting or worth rooting for? Not so much.

And as if Duncan and co-conspirators don’t have enough to worry about, his wife’s biological mother visits the “father” to say he wants to bring Kincaid down. Yeah, sure, 30+ years later, with a dying daughter, try to bring the president down with possibly no proof of the rape. That’s smart. Dedicated man he is, our beloved….was prepared to shoot her down, but she saw sense at the last minute and she lived. Seriously, woman! This man was supposed to either kill you or let you be killed. Instead he let you get away and raised your daughter. Surely, he is not the perfect guy to trust with your itch to confess?

Oh, of course there were the scenes with our major plotter and his girlfriend, aka the president’s wife’s sister. I really don’t like them. Some viewers think this show has no likeable characters, but surely their actions make Duncan seem like a cuddly teddy bear? People who think killing innocents is OK as long as it covers their tracks? Please.

Anyhow, Duncan makes it back, gives Ellen the key to the room. Later, Ellen goes to see him in another room where he thanks her for making it happen, and he tells her that she is ready. Touched, he hugs her. Then…they kiss.

Then someone kidnaps Duncan from the street.

Then roll credits.

OK, a note on Sandrine:

Sandrine should make up her mind already: Are you team Duncan (which also means team your current bed buddy you seem to have feelings for?) or Are you team villains? Are you a cold bitch or an emotional, loving woman? Seriously. Do you remember how rude, distant and almost mean she was in the first few episodes?

THE KISS

OK, the kiss. I thought it was ridiculous at first. Then I realized, it’s actually one of the more rational/plausible things both Ellen and Duncan did. Here’s why I think so:

Why The Kiss Makes Sense (No, really.)

There are three possibilities for both parties.

1) There’s genuine attraction with some feelings

2) It’ manipulation by one or both.

3) It’s a semi-conscious mixture of 1 and 2.

And all three make sense in their own way.

From Duncan’s point of view:

If he’s actually attracted to Ellen: Stockholm Syndrome might go both ways. He’s a decent guy at the core. He didn’t plot to kill the president – he joined in on it because it was the only way for him to save his wife, and according to him, the president doesn’t mind killing and raping women. So here’s a guy who’s willing to dabble in gray areas and risk things to save his wife.

Ellen goes to equally illogical and far-fetched and dangerous methods to save her family.

At the very least, he can relate. And he’s actually really alone at the moment. He can’t see his daughter often, his wife has been sick for a long time, he has to handle a group that’s not as reliable as him, he can get killed or arrested any minute, his brother-in-law is an idiot (limo driver, beating the kids’ drug bosses…), the big guy is hot-headed (dead best friend, anyone?) and Sandrine is unreliable. For the past three episodes or so, Ellen’s the only friend he got – as weird that it is.

2) If he’s ensuing her loyalty by seduction: All I can say is go Duncan! She risked her family’s life over and over again by rebelling stupidly so many times. If Duncan is ensuring the plan works out and none of them get killed and all he has to do is make out with Ellen, why not?

From Ellen’s point of view:

1) If she’s manipulating Duncan, or trying to, well done: Trying to out-smart, or outrun or kill him didn’t work. Rebelling didn’t work. He seems to trust, respect and on some level, like her now. Why not use it? And of all the captors in the world, surely making out with one that looks like Dylan McDermott isn’t exactly torture. 🙂

Dylan McDermott in Hostages — Dylan McDermott as Duncan Carlisle in Hostages. Image via tvguide.com.

2) It’s not that implausible she will be attracted to him. My finding Duncan extremely good-looking aside, this is a guy who protected her daughter on several occasions. He is only in on the plot to help save his sick wife’s life, and the guy he’s helping kill turned out to be a potential killer and rapist.

He’s a person that will go to extreme lengths to save his family, risking his life and career for a small hope- like Ellen.

Remember Ellen’s husband? Cheating, financially disastrous husband who only understood the value of his wife and family at gunpoint?

Yes, Duncan took them hostage, but he’s still the better husband in my opinion. So far, it was one kiss under extreme duress. I’ll be retracting this statement if they have sex:)

3) The husband had an affair. With a co-worker, half-his age at that. Could he be more of a boring cliché? What better ways to stick it to him than kissing the guy who shot him?

My mind doesn’t work like this for romcoms, or tragic dramas, but guys, this is a thriller with morally ambiguous characters. Let’s have fun with that.

Hopefully we will never be in their shoes. But with a billion to one, possibility that I was either Ellen or Duncan, I can’t promise no kissing.

Also on Dylan McDermott

The Practice starring Dylan McDermott, Lara Flynn Boyle, Kelli Williams & Steve Harris

Dark Blue starring Dylan McDermott, Logan Marshall-Green, Nicki Aycox & Omari Hardwick

Recommended Hostage-featuring Movies

Inside Man starring Clive Owen, Denzel Washington & Jodie Foster

The Entitled starring Kevin Zegers, Ray Liotta, Laura Vandervoort & Victor Garber

Air Force One starring Harrison Ford, Glenn Close and Gary Oldman