Tag: Emma Stone

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009): Comedy/Fantasy/Romance

A huge “player” finds his match the day before his brother gets married when he gets a visit from three ghosts.

A water-downed version of the original source, but still watchable and enjoyable. Huge reason behind it is, of course, Matthew McConaughey. The guy nails it as the irredeemable player that causes physical and mental destruction all around him. He’s handsome as hell, eloquent, and… he is the right man for the job! As aforementioned though, it still is a massively water-downed version of Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ (1843). McConaughey might be on top of his game, Jennifer Garner is an exceptional actress who can be dramatic as much as she can be funny, and Emma Stone and Michael Douglas do also a spot-on job… it’s just that director Mark Waters’ version is not on par with other iterations of Dickens’ original work, such as Scrooged (1988): https://kaygazpro.com/2018/12/28/scrooged-1988-comedy-drama-fantasy/ and A Christmas Carol (2019): https://kaygazpro.com/2020/12/25/a-christmas-carol-2019-drama-fantasy/ with the first being funny and emotional and the second dark and depressing. It’s not his fault though because I guess it never meant to make it to that level or reach the same audience they did.

I avoid having a holistic approach to these films nor do I analyse them thoroughly as I find them quite formulaic. I have no high expectations of them other than examining whether they can entertain you and keep you company for as long as they last. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past ticks both boxes, and, while not particularly profound, it still has the impact of making someone reflect on their past decisions and their consequences presented in the present day – especially when it comes to romance!

Well, I hope you enjoy it or enjoy it again if you have watched it in the past with the company of your own choice. As the film explicitly implies, no one should be alone in this world. There is someone out there for everyone, all we have to do is find them. Unless they find us first…

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Solidarity for Ukraine 🇺🇦 🙏

Stay safe!

P.S. This was the time when McConaughey played all those roles that brought out his external beauty. Not long after, he took a turn to roles that brought out his amazing thespian skills and eccentric beautiful darkness.

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019): Action / Comedy / Horror

Zombieland_Double Tap.jpg

Ten years have passed since the zombocalypse and Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita, and Little Rock must now face dumb, smart, stealthy, and rough zombies, deal with domestic issues and ally with lookalikes, hippies, and a bimbo.

Double Tap, is the sequel I was reasonably afraid it will have nothing more to offer when it comes out. Having seen numerous sequels over the years flopping due to franchise fatigue or been outshadowed by their predecessors, can you blame me? Well, ten years later, Double Tap did come out, proved me wrong, and it was more than I was hoping for. Director Ruben Fleischer, intentionally influenced/inspired by George A. Romero and Edgar Wright, manages to find new creative ways to either put a smile on our face or make us laugh out loud. The script is solidly inundated with comedic additions and alliances, and horrifically funny villains, offering the well-known by now group of four an arsenal of punchlines, perfectly fit for every occasion. Out of the A-list star cast, which does a brilliant job in front of the lens, Woody Harrelson and Zoey Deutch unequivocally stand out for being surrealistically funny.

I’ll seize this opportunity to say this as I’ve been holding it for some time now… Abigail Breslin seems like she doesn’t want to act anymore. Is it the burden carrying from her mesmerising performances in Little Miss Sunshine (2006) and My Sister’s Keeper (2009)? Is it the ‘curse’ of the child actor/actress? Is it personal or professional obstacles that we are not aware of? I still believe that given the right role she can ‘shine’ again and I really look forward to that day.

Definitely worth the just over hour and a half in front of the telly as it will make you forget your problems and send you to bed. And next day is always a new day… with a new film!