Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues: Super-Sized R-Rated Version (2013)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals.**

Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Conrningstone (Christina Applegate) are working together as a happy married couple. Together, they work as co-anchors for a first-rate news station in New York City, but an unexpected meeting complicates their relationship.

As the man in charge at the network, Mack Tannen (Harrison Ford) decides to promote Veronica to an unprecedented position as the first female anchor on the nightly news. On the other hand, Ron was expecting a retirement announcement from Mack, but Tannen fires Ron. After the meeting, Ron gives Veronica an ultimatum: Veronica refuses Mack Tannen’s job offer out of respect to Ron, or Ron promises to leave Veronica, and their son, Walter (Judah Nelson) without looking back. Veronica ignores  Ron’s request, so Ron abandons Veronica and Walter.

Six months later, Ron relocates to San Diego again. Ron embarrasses himself during a drunken fit at his new job for the local oceanarium, and the manager fires Ron. Ron tries to commit suicide after the incident, but Freddie Shapp (Dylan Baker) approaches Ron with an irresistible offer. Freddie is an employee for GNN, a revolutionary twenty-four hour news network, and Freddie wants to hire Ron as an anchorman. Ron accepts the offer under one non-negotiable condition: Ron has the right to assemble his own hand picked news team with no questions asked. Freddie agrees to Ron’s terms, and Ron accepts the offer.

After a lengthy search mission, Ron convinces Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), and Champ Kind (David Koechner) to join him at GNN. But Ron and his team run into a series of a hurdles at GNN. Ron is stuck in a rivalry with a hot-shot anchorman named Jack Lime (James Marsden), and Ron complicates the working relationship with his new boss, Linda Jackson (Meagan Good).

To make matters worse, Veronica’s in a comfortable relationship with a psychiatrist named Gary (Greg Kinnear). And to add to his growing list of problems, Ron’s team is stuck on the graveyard shift, and a distracted Brick is falling in love with Chani Lastname (Kristen Wiig), a GNN secretary.

But Ron devises a scheme to beat Jack Lime’s ratings on the primetime edition of GNN. Burgundy plans to broadcast mindless stories (random car chases, homerun highlight reels, etc.) as a ploy to spike the ratings. Ron’s plan is a success, but he’ll have to choose between a trusted friend and Kench Allenby (Josh Lawson), the slimy owner of GNN, in a moral dilemma that could change the course of GNN forever. Ron’s plate is full, as he struggles with blindness, repairing his relationship with Veronica and Walter, and the troubles of raising a pet shark.

Will Ferrell delivers another entertaining and hilarious performance as the delusional blowhard with a massive ego. Koechner, Carell, and Rudd provide their fair share of laughs, and Wiig is a nice fit in the role for Brick’s female counterpart. Meagan Good is my pick for the standout star from the supporting cast of new additions. Good takes control of Linda, as the sassy and aggressive foxy lady, who’s in charge. And Marsden is solid, as the obnoxious pretty boy with a snobbish superiority complex.

It’s hard to keep track of all the sub-plots for the sequel. Ron’s blindness, Ron exiling himself to a lighthouse with Veronica and Walter, Ron’s feud with Jack, Ron’s romantic relationship with Linda during the split with Veronica, Ron raising a shark as a pet at the lighthouse, and the love story between Brick and Chani.

It’s not an easy choice, but Ron and Linda’s relationship is my pick for the best sub-plot. At first, a sexist Ron dismisses Linda as his boss, and Linda intimidates Ron. But after the ratings spike with Ron’s crew, Linda pursues Ron. Ron fights off Linda at first, but Ron succumbs to Linda‘s advances in the end. There’s a dinner table scene, where Linda introduces Ron to her family, and all hell breaks loose after a series of racial insults from Ron. Watching the chaos during the dinner unfold is a real treat. Ron crosses so many inappropriate lines, and he’ll surprise you with every outburst in a jaw dropping back and forth duel of racial insults with Linda’s family.

I enjoyed the Super-Sized R-Rated Version, but I’ll throw out a fair warning, this version of Anchorman is NOT for everyone. The runtime clocks in at 2hrs. & 33min., this new version features 763 new jokes, and you‘ll hear a few f-bombs.

So I’m telling you right now, if you’re indifferent to Anchorman, or if you’re on the fence about the sequel, this version is not for you, and it’s that simple, because there’s a good chance you’ll remember the Super-Sized Version as an overlong, tiresome, and bloated comedy. Me? I loved every second of this one week only special. It’s a riot from start to finish, and I can honestly say I laughed all the way through until the credits started rolling at the end.

I only have one complaint about The Legend Continues: The teased feud between Veronica and Linda. Remember that scene in the trailers, where Linda and Veronica exchange insults? Well, that’s all you’ll see for a feud here. It’s a shame, because the love triangle feud between Ron (with Ron playing the role of an instigator) had some real potential. But Anchorman is LOADED with sub-plots, so you’re taking an unnecessary chance of creating a big mess with a full blown Veronica VS Linda feud.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues takes the top spot for the best comedy in 2013. The absurd lunacy is still whacky and over the top, and The Legend Continues delivers consistent laughs with some help from a top notch cast. And the cameos during the big battle at the end are mind-blowing. It’s one big surprise after another, and the barrage of celebrity appearances are guaranteed to pull more than one “Wow!” reaction out of you.

If you read my reviews on here, you’ll know I’m against unnecessary or cash grab sequels. Is The Legend Continues the end of the line film for the Anchorman franchise? Well, I’m hoping the answer to this question is no, but director/co-writer Adam McKay drove the nail into the coffin with a recent interview. His response to a Part III in a recent interview? “It’s done.” Usually, I’m against more sequels, but if there’s a good chance of keeping the core cast together, with some cameos from the past, then I don’t see a real sense of urgency for pulling the plug to preserve Anchorman’s legacy (no pun intended).

Yeah, I know you’re taking a risk of damaging Anchorman’s reputation  with another sequel, and the critical success rate for number threes (Return Of The Jedi, and….) raises a few red flags, but there’s a lot of gas left in the tank for Anchorman. I’m not the only one, who noticed Brian’s “breaking the fourth wall” moment at the end, right? Ron and everyone else express their concerns for the future of the news team, and Rudd gives a brief explanation about box office profits. Brian reminds everyone about the sequel’s success at the box office playing a major role in the production of a sequel.

Are Brian’s words food for thought? Am I reading too much into this scene after McKay seemingly drove the nail into the coffin with his interview? Perhaps, but think about like this, The Legend Continues enjoyed a successful box office run, and I like to keep a “never say never” or “time will tell” mindset  for sequels. Die hard Anchorman fans will have to wait and see as the years pass, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Ron Burgundy return to the big screen.

Rating: 8/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues: Super-Sized R-Rated Version (2013)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Conrningstone (Christina Applegate) are working together as a happy married couple. Together, they work as co-anchors for a first-rate news station in New York City, but an unexpected meeting complicates their relationship.

As the man in charge at the network, Mack Tannen (Harrison Ford) decides to promote Veronica to an unprecedented position as the first female anchor on the nightly news. On the other hand, Ron was expecting a retirement announcement from Mack, but Tannen fires Ron. After the meeting, Ron gives Veronica an ultimatum: Veronica refuses Mack Tannen’s job offer out of respect to Ron, or Ron promises to leave Veronica, and their son, Walter (Judah Nelson) without looking back. Veronica ignores  Ron’s request, so Ron abandons Veronica and Walter.

Six months later, Ron relocates to San Diego again. Ron embarrasses himself during a drunken fit at his new job for the local oceanarium, and the manager fires Ron. Ron tries to commit suicide after the incident, but Freddie Shapp (Dylan Baker) approaches Ron with an irresistible offer. Freddie is an employee for GNN, a revolutionary twenty-four hour news network, and Freddie wants to hire Ron as an anchorman. Ron accepts the offer under one non-negotiable condition: Ron has the right to assemble his own hand picked news team with no questions asked. Freddie agrees to Ron’s terms, and Ron accepts the offer.

After a lengthy search mission, Ron convinces Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), and Champ Kind (David Koechner) to join him at GNN. But Ron and his team run into a series of a hurdles at GNN. Ron is stuck in a rivalry with a hot-shot anchorman named Jack Lime (James Marsden), and Ron complicates the working relationship with his new boss, Linda Jackson (Meagan Good).

To make matters worse, Veronica’s in a comfortable relationship with a psychiatrist named Gary (Greg Kinnear). And to add to his growing list of problems, Ron’s team is stuck on the graveyard shift, and a distracted Brick is falling in love with Chani Lastname (Kristen Wiig), a GNN secretary.

But Ron devises a scheme to beat Jack Lime’s ratings on the primetime edition of GNN. Burgundy plans to broadcast mindless stories (random car chases, homerun highlight reels, etc.) as a ploy to spike the ratings. Ron’s plan is a success, but he’ll have to choose between a trusted friend and Kench Allenby (Josh Lawson), the slimy owner of GNN, in a moral dilemma that could change the course of GNN forever. Ron’s plate is full, as he struggles with blindness, repairing his relationship with Veronica and Walter, and the troubles of raising a pet shark.

Will Ferrell delivers another entertaining and hilarious performance as the delusional blowhard with a massive ego. Koechner, Carell, and Rudd provide their fair share of laughs, and Wiig is a nice fit in the role for Brick’s female counterpart. Meagan Good is my pick for the standout star from the supporting cast of new additions. Good takes control of Linda, as the sassy and aggressive foxy lady, who’s in charge. And Marsden is solid, as the obnoxious pretty boy with a snobbish superiority complex.

It’s hard to keep track of all the sub-plots for the sequel. Ron’s blindness, Ron exiling himself to a lighthouse with Veronica and Walter, Ron’s feud with Jack, Ron’s romantic relationship with Linda during the split with Veronica, Ron raising a shark as a pet at the lighthouse, and the love story between Brick and Chani.

It’s not an easy choice, but Ron and Linda’s relationship is my pick for the best sub-plot. At first, a sexist Ron dismisses Linda as his boss, and Linda intimidates Ron. But after the ratings spike with Ron’s crew, Linda pursues Ron. Ron fights off Linda at first, but Ron succumbs to Linda‘s advances in the end. There’s a dinner table scene, where Linda introduces Ron to her family, and all hell breaks loose after a series of racial insults from Ron. Watching the chaos during the dinner unfold is a real treat. Ron crosses so many inappropriate lines, and he’ll surprise you with every outburst in a jaw dropping back and forth duel of racial insults with Linda’s family.

The cameos during the big battle between all the news teams during the finale? Incredible. It’s the only word to describe the fiasco. Ron has a change of heart, and he quits GNN to catch Walter’s recital. During Ron’s frantic journey to the recital, Jack Lime (with his team) confronts Ron in a park. Jack wants to put an end to Ron, because he destroyed his career, but Ron’s team pops up out of nowhere to help their buddy.

But it’s not over yet. News teams from all over the US and around the world interrupt the personal feud between Jack and Ron to start a war between all the news teams. Take a look at this list of cameos for the big fight:

Will Smith
Marion Cotillard
Jim Carrey
Kirsten Dunst
Sacha Baron Cohen
Tina Fey
Liam Neeson
John C. Reilly (as Stonewall Jackson’s ghost)
Amy Poehler
Kanye West
Vince Vaughn

On top of all that, Harrison Ford transforms into werehyena to join the fight, a minotaur pops up, and Gary lends a helping hand for Ron with his telekinetic powers (earlier in the movie, Ron accused Gary of having psychic powers). Oh, and Drake has a small cameo at the very beginning. Ron and Veronica are still together, and Drake compliments Veronica’s figure.

I enjoyed the Super-Sized R-Rated Version, but I’ll throw out a fair warning, this version of Anchorman is NOT for everyone. The runtime clocks in at 2hrs. & 33min., this new version features 763 new jokes, and you‘ll hear a few f-bombs.

So I’m telling you right now, if you’re indifferent to Anchorman, or if you’re on the fence about the sequel, this version is not for you, and it’s that simple, because there’s a good chance you’ll remember the Super-Sized Version as an overlong, tiresome, and bloated comedy. Me? I loved every second of this one week only special. It’s a riot from start to finish, and I can honestly say I laughed all the way through until the credits started rolling at the end.

And speaking of the ending, there’s a noticeable change in the Super Sized R-Rated Version. You won’t see the battle between Ron and the pet shark at the end. Instead, they end the movie after Brick and Chani’s wedding on the beach, and for the closing shot, you’ll see Chani and Brick running towards the camera. Also, they actually show the beatdown during the dinner with Linda's family in the Super Sized film. They only show the aftermath with a battered  Ron in the back of a taxi with Linda in the original version.

I only have one complaint about The Legend Continues: The teased feud between Veronica and Linda. Remember that scene in the trailers, where Linda and Veronica exchange insults? Well, that’s all you’ll see for a feud here. It’s a shame, because the love triangle feud between Ron (with Ron playing the role of an instigator) had some real potential. But Anchorman is LOADED with sub-plots, so you’re taking an unnecessary chance of creating a big mess with a full blown Veronica VS Linda feud.

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues takes the top spot for the best comedy in 2013. The absurd lunacy is still whacky and over the top, and The Legend Continues delivers consistent laughs with some help from a top notch cast. And the cameos during the big battle at the end are mind-blowing. It’s one big surprise after another, and the barrage of celebrity appearances are guaranteed to pull more than one “Wow!” reaction out of you.

If you read my reviews on here, you’ll know I’m against unnecessary or cash grab sequels. Is The Legend Continues the end of the line film for the Anchorman franchise? Well, I’m hoping the answer to this question is no, but director/co-writer Adam McKay drove the nail into the coffin with a recent interview. His response to a Part III in a recent interview? “It’s done.” Usually, I’m against more sequels, but if there’s a good chance of keeping the core cast together, with some cameos from the past, then I don’t see a real sense of urgency for pulling the plug to preserve Anchorman’s legacy (no pun intended).

Yeah, I know you’re taking a risk of damaging Anchorman’s reputation  with another sequel, and the critical success rate for number threes (Return Of The Jedi, and….) raises a few red flags, but there’s a lot of gas left in the tank for Anchorman. I’m not the only one, who noticed Brian’s “breaking the fourth wall” moment at the end, right? Ron and everyone else express their concerns for the future of the news team, and Rudd gives a brief explanation about box office profits. Brian reminds everyone about the sequel’s success at the box office playing a major role in the production of a sequel.

Are Brian’s words food for thought? Am I reading too much into this scene after McKay seemingly drove the nail into the coffin with his interview? Perhaps, but think about like this, The Legend Continues enjoyed a successful box office run, and I like to keep a “never say never” or “time will tell” mindset  for sequels. Die hard Anchorman fans will have to wait and see as the years pass, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Ron Burgundy return to the big screen.

Rating: 8/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Analyze That (2002)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals, surprises, or twists.**

Following the events of Analyze This, Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is stuck in Sing Sing prison. Paranoia overwhelms Paul after a series of failed executions at Sing Sing, so Paul fakes insanity for protection. Paul selects random songs from West Side Story for crazed performances to secure an isolated spot inside the padded walls, but West Side Story is an unstable safety net.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) is still grieving after the death of his father, Isaac. Ben is trying to move on, so he can enjoy a peaceful life with his wife, Laura (Lisa Kudrow) and his son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy). But Paul throws another hurdle into Ben’s shaky situation.

Ben visits Sing Sing for a personal evaluation to prove the legitimacy of Paul’s condition, and the FBI forces Ben into a non-negotiable deal after the visist: The FBI will release Paul into Ben’s custody under house arrest rules, with the promise of daily therapy sessions. Paul has to stay out of trouble, and he needs to reform himself as a respectable citizen, and Dr. Sobel’s time is running out before Paul’s hearing with the parole board.

Paul’s fresh start as an ordinary working man? It’s a disastrous failure, but Paul receives one last chance from a producer/director named Raoul Berman (Reg Rogers). Berman hires Paul, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), and other members of Paul’s crew as official consultants for his show. Berman wants to add some authenticity to his mafia themed TV show named “Little Caesar,” so Paul directs traffic for his crew to offer some advice. To add to his list of duties, Paul is the personal coach for Anthony Bella (Anthony LaPaglia), the star of the show, who leads the way in the leading role as Nicky Caesar.

But a wave of trouble from his old lifestyle complicates Paul’s new mission and his job. Lou “The Wrench” Rigazzi (Frank Gio) is a feared and respected mob boss, and he’s stuck in a feud with his rival Patti LoPresti (Cathy Moriarty). Paul is stuck in the middle of the Rigazzi/LoPresti feud. To make matters worse, Rigazzi is keeping a close eye on Paul’s every move, and Patti gives Eddie DeVol (Raymond Franza), a high-ranking enforcer in Patti’s crew, strict orders to murder Paul, if he accepts any offers from Rigazzi.

Paul is trying to keep a low-profile after his surprise retirement from the mafia, but Dr. Sobel suspects something fishy. With some help from his crew, and Eddie (at Patti’s request), Paul secretly plans a lucrative and risky heist for one last score. Paul is walking on thin ice with four sets of watchful eyes tracking his every move, but a persistent Dr. Sobel follows Paul, his crew, and Eddie during a meeting for more answers. Dr. Sobel is willing to risk everything to save Paul (again), but a startling discovery complicates Ben‘s mission……

Crystal and De Niro? They’re still sharp in the sequel, as the odd couple duo, but Ben is kind of annoying this time around. Throughout the movie, Ben is still “grieving” over his father’s death, because it’s a “process.” Ben’s constant panic attacks/outbursts feel tiresome after thirty minutes. And Ben’s revelation during the finale is my pick for Analyze That’s worst eye rolling moment, because the reasons for Ben’s confession are too obvious (the constant foreshadowing gives everything away), so it’s hard to buy into the surprise for Ben’s moment.

Lisa Kudrow, Kyle Sabihy, Pat Cooper (Masiello), and Joe Viterelli return as familiar faces from the original. No major changes for their characters (Michael takes a job as Paul’s driver, but his screen time is limited to sporadic appearances), but the returning group delivers a few good laughs. Although, it’s a bittersweet return for Joe Viterelli, because Analyze That is Viterelli’s last film role before his death.

Reg Rogers is an easy pick for a standout on the list of new additions to the cast, as the pretentious and whacky director, and Frank Gio only appears in three scenes here. Moriarty has a few entertaining moments as the tough businesswoman, who won’t back down, and the sight of De Niro and Moriarty provides a cool nostalgia kick. Remember, Moriarty portrayed Robert De Niro’s wife (Vikki LaMotta) in Raging Bull.

With all my complaints, it’s hard to ignore the facts: Crystal and De Niro still work as a team here. Yeah, they’re not perfect, but the troubled mobster and the panicky psychiatrist shtick is good for a handful of laughs the second time around, and Rogers is hilarious.

Everything else? Oy vey. A few cringeworthy attempts at humor include Paul’s “limp sword” dream, and the dinner scene at a sushi restaurant. Ben is taking medication for his panic attacks, but he pops one too many pills before dinner. Well, the overdose causes numbness in Ben’s tongue and his mouth, so Ben can’t chew any food, or drink any liquids. It’s a horribly unfunny series of events, because food’s flying out of his mouth, and Ben is spitting everywhere. And the West Side Story stuff almost gave me a headache.

The story is a jumbled mess. At first, Paul’s trying to avoid certain death after a few assassination attempts, and we’re lead to believe Paul is on a mission to find the identity of his attacker(s). But the story takes another unexpected turn, when Paul tries to adjust to the real world as a working man. After that, the story takes another turn towards a different storyline with Paul and his buddies helping out on the set of Little Caesar. AND on top of that, Analzye That opens another door with Paul’s plan for a heist. Oh, and Paul is caught in the middle during the blood feud between The Rigazzi crew and Patti’s crew.

After Paul’s release from Sing Sing, Analyze That devolves into a carbon copy of the first film. Paul is the tough mobster, who’s trying to move on, and Ben is the wimpy sidekick during Paul’s adventures. Remember the trick with a daydreaming Ben yelling at or tearing into someone, who annoys him for various reasons? Well, you’ll see that trick again here during Ben’s opening scene at his father’s funeral. The first time around, Ben daydreaming was something unique. In the sequel, it’s not funny, because you get the feeling they’re rehashing the same old tricks all over again for “Remember this?” reactions. 

Robert De Niro’s kooky loon act had some potential, but Analyze That can’t measure up to the original. It’s a disappointing sequel that’s short on laughs, and they pulled a page out of Danny Ocean’s playbook for the overly complex heist scene at the end. Don’t get your hopes up too high for this one, because Analyze That is another forgettable and unnecessary sequel. And to add insult to injury, the closing gag reel trumps the actual film for genuinely funny and consistent laughs.

Rating: 4/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Analyze That (2002)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Following the events of Analyze This, Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is stuck in Sing Sing prison. Paranoia overwhelms Paul after a series of failed executions at Sing Sing, so Paul fakes insanity for protection. Paul selects random songs from West Side Story for crazed performances to secure an isolated spot inside the padded walls, but West Side Story is an unstable safety net.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) is still grieving after the death of his father, Isaac. Ben is trying to move on, so he can enjoy a peaceful life with his wife, Laura (Lisa Kudrow) and his son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy). But Paul throws another hurdle into Ben’s shaky situation.

Ben visits Sing Sing for a personal evaluation to prove the legitimacy of Paul’s condition, and the FBI forces Ben into a non-negotiable deal after the visist: The FBI will release Paul into Ben’s custody under house arrest rules, with the promise of daily therapy sessions. Paul has to stay out of trouble, and he needs to reform himself as a respectable citizen, and Dr. Sobel’s time is running out before Paul’s hearing with the parole board.

Paul’s fresh start as an ordinary working man? It’s a disastrous failure, but Paul receives one last chance from a producer/director named Raoul Berman (Reg Rogers). Berman hires Paul, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), and other members of Paul’s crew as official consultants for his show. Berman wants to add some authenticity to his mafia themed TV show named “Little Caesar,” so Paul directs traffic for his crew to offer some advice. To add to his list of duties, Paul is the personal coach for Anthony Bella (Anthony LaPaglia), the star of the show, who leads the way in the leading role as Nicky Caesar.

But a wave of trouble from his old lifestyle complicates Paul’s new mission and his job. Lou “The Wrench” Rigazzi (Frank Gio) is a feared and respected mob boss, and he’s stuck in a feud with his rival Patti LoPresti (Cathy Moriarty). Paul is stuck in the middle of the Rigazzi/LoPresti feud. To make matters worse, Rigazzi is keeping a close eye on Paul’s every move, and Patti gives Eddie DeVol (Raymond Franza), a high-ranking enforcer in Patti’s crew, strict orders to murder Paul, if he accepts any offers from Rigazzi.

Paul is trying to keep a low-profile after his surprise retirement from the mafia, but Dr. Sobel suspects something fishy. With some help from his crew, and Eddie (at Patti’s request), Paul secretly plans a lucrative and risky heist for one last score. Paul is walking on thin ice with four sets of watchful eyes tracking his every move, but a persistent Dr. Sobel follows Paul, his crew, and Eddie during a meeting for more answers. Dr. Sobel is willing to risk everything to save Paul (again), but a startling discovery complicates Ben‘s mission……

Crystal and De Niro? They’re still sharp in the sequel, as the odd couple duo, but Ben is kind of annoying this time around. Throughout the movie, Ben is still “grieving” over his father’s death, because it’s a “process.” Ben’s constant panic attacks/outbursts feel tiresome after thirty minutes. And Ben’s revelation (more on that later) during the finale is my pick for Analyze That’s worst eye rolling moment, because the reasons for Ben’s confession are too obvious (the constant foreshadowing gives everything away), so it’s hard to buy into the surprise for Ben’s moment.

Lisa Kudrow, Kyle Sabihy, Pat Cooper (Masiello), and Joe Viterelli return as familiar faces from the original. No major changes for their characters (Michael takes a job as Paul’s driver, but his screen time is limited to sporadic appearances), but the returning group delivers a few good laughs. Although, it’s a bittersweet return for Joe Viterelli, because Analyze That is Viterelli’s last film role before his death.

Reg Rogers is an easy pick for a standout on the list of new additions to the cast, as the pretentious and whacky director, and Frank Gio only appears in three scenes here. Moriarty has a few entertaining moments as the tough businesswoman, who won’t back down, and the sight of De Niro and Moriarty provides a cool nostalgia kick. Remember, Moriarty portrayed Robert De Niro’s wife (Vikki LaMotta) in Raging Bull.

Paul’s big plan? He’s going to orchestrate a complex and risky robbery. The prize? A federal gold truck. Paul, Eddie, and his team successfully capture the truck, the guards, and the driver (with some help from a magnetic crane). Both crews load a select number of gold bars into a city bus (they’re using the bus as a decoy to hide the gold bars underneath the floor), but Eddie double crosses Paul and his crew. Here, it’s revealed Eddie is working for The Wrench to betray Patti, but Eddie has plans to betray The Wrench, because he only cares about himself.

Ben turns the tables on Eddie with a hard punch, Paul’s crew regains control, and Paul uses a live scene from Berman’s show (the city bus squeezes into a line of moving cars) to escape. Paul’s crew plants the gold bars inside a Rigazzi plumbing truck, and after an anonymous tip, The Wrench and other members of his crew suffer the consequences with a series of arrests. To end the movie, Paul, Jelly, and Ben say their good-byes together with a group performance, inspired by another song from West Side Story.

The corny moment before Eddie reveals himself as a traitor? Well, Ben finally opens up to Paul about the source for his recent troubles with depression and grieving: Ben is upset, because he never had a good relationship with his father. It didn’t matter. No matter how hard he tried, Ben was never good enough for Isaac. Of course, when Ben bursts into tears about a troubled relationship with his father, Paul joins him in another sobbing moment (Ben had a troubled relationship with his father in the original).

Why? Why do we need a need a complex heist scene in a goofy mafia comedy? Smoke grenades, a magnetic crane, and a machine to load the gold bars into a secret compartment on the city bus? Seriously? Sorry, I know a lot of people will say I’m a stick in the mud for this, but if I want to see a movie featuring preposterous and overly complex heists, I’ll rent Ocean’s Thirteen, Twelve, or Eleven.

Remember Paul’s breakdown for his father at the end of Analyze This? It’s a serious moment, with De Niro selling the heartbreak, and Crystal providing a shoulder to lean on. Analyze That? Crystal’s obnoxious hysteria kills any chances for laughs, or a feel good sentimental moment between two friends. Yeah, I get the whole point of an ironic moment with Ben grieving over his father‘s death after a strained relationship, because Paul had the same problems in the original, but Crystal’s “I CAN’T HELP IT!!!!” act is annoying.

With all my complaints, it’s hard to ignore the facts: Crystal and De Niro still work as a team here. Yeah, they’re not perfect, but the troubled mobster and the panicky psychiatrist shtick is good for a handful of laughs the second time around, and Rogers is hilarious.

Everything else? Oy vey. A few cringeworthy attempts at humor include Paul’s “limp sword” dream, and the dinner scene at a sushi restaurant. Ben is taking medication for his panic attacks, but he pops one too many pills before dinner. Well, the overdose causes numbness in Ben’s tongue and his mouth, so Ben can’t chew any food, or drink any liquids. It’s a horribly unfunny series of events, because food’s flying out of his mouth, and Ben is spitting everywhere. And the West Side Story stuff almost gave me a headache.

The story is a jumbled mess. At first, Paul’s trying to avoid certain death after a few assassination attempts, and we’re lead to believe Paul is on a mission to find the identity of his attacker(s). But the story takes another unexpected turn, when Paul tries to adjust to the real world as a working man. After that, the story takes another turn towards a different storyline with Paul and his buddies helping out on the set of Little Caesar. AND on top of that, Analzye That opens another door with Paul’s plan for a heist. Oh, and Paul is caught in the middle during the blood feud between The Rigazzi crew and Patti’s crew.

After Paul’s release from Sing Sing, Analyze That devolves into a carbon copy of the first film. Paul is the tough mobster, who’s trying to move on, and Ben is the wimpy sidekick during Paul’s adventures. Remember the trick with a daydreaming Ben yelling at or tearing into someone, who annoys him for various reasons? Well, you’ll see that trick again here during Ben’s opening scene at his father’s funeral. The first time around, Ben daydreaming was something unique. In the sequel, it’s not funny, because you get the feeling they’re rehashing the same old tricks all over again for “Remember this?” reactions. 

Robert De Niro’s kooky loon act had some potential, but Analyze That can’t measure up to the original. It’s a disappointing sequel that’s short on laughs, and they pulled a page out of Danny Ocean’s playbook for the overly complex heist scene at the end. Don’t get your hopes up too high for this one, because Analyze That is another forgettable and unnecessary sequel. And to add insult to injury, the closing gag reel trumps the actual film for genuinely funny and consistent laughs.

Rating: 4/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Analyze This (1999)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals, or major character deaths**

Feared mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) needs a shoulder to lean on. Paul’s longtime best friend and advisor, Dominic Manetta (Joseph Rigano) is the victim of a drive by shooting. Paul suffers a series of uncontrollable panic attacks and breakdowns after Dominic’s death. Under Paul’s orders, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), Paul’s right hand man, forces a psychiatrist named Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) to accept Paul as his new patient after a fender-bender.

Dr. Sobel hits a few bumps in the road during Paul’s awkward and unplanned sessions. Meanwhile, Dr. Sobel is trying to balance a series of problems in his life. Ben’s trying to fix a strained relationship with his father, Dr. Isaac Sobel (Bill Macy), and his mother, Dorothy (Rebecca Schull), because Isaac chooses a book signing for his new release over Ben‘s wedding. On top of that, Ben’s anxious fiance Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow) is nervous about the wedding, and her relationship with Ben’s son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy).

Members of Paul’s mob family, including Salvatore Masiello (Pat Cooper), voice their concerns for Paul‘s image and his relationship with Dr. Sobel. Paul is still an emotional train wreck, but he’ll have to pull himself together for a once in a lifetime meeting with every mafia family in the US. Paul’s rival, Primo Sidone (Chazz Palminteri) organizes the meeting. Primo has plans to become the king of organized crime, and a bitter Primo is determined to murder Paul before the meeting.

Dr. Sobel tries to balance problems with his upcoming wedding, and Paul relives the tragic circumstances surrounding his father’s death. But FBI agents complicate Dr. Sobel’s relationship with Paul. The FBI convinces Dr. Sobel to wear a wire with a doctored tape recording, and to add to his growing list of problems, a traitor within Paul’s crew leaks Paul’s location to Primo Sidone during a special dinner one night……

Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal share good chemistry together, as the bickering odd couple. De Niro delivers an entertaining parody performance, as the tough and manly mobster. The routine feels tiresome towards the end, but De Niro’s “sobbing broken man” act is good for a few cheap laughs. Billy Crystal is a nice fit for the uptight and nerdy psychiatrist, and Crystal‘s random outbursts are hilarious. There’s a scene at the beginning with Ben and one of his patients. Ben is tired of Caroline’s (Molly Shannon) non-stop whining. In his mind, Ben imagines himself yelling at Caroline with no mercy to deliver a “tough love” approach.

Palminteri’s screen time is limited to sporadic appearances, but he’s believable as the slimy antagonist with a mean streak. Joe Viterelli provides consistent laughs, as the dedicated and pushy sidekick, and Lisa Kudrow is decent enough as the whiny and nagging fiance. And if you’re wondering, Molly Shannon  appears in the one scene with Crystal at the beginning, and that’s it. Seriously, what happened to Molly Shannon? Anyone remember Mary Katherine Gallagher (or “Superstar!”)?

The reoccurring routine to pull some laughs out of the audience with the irony of a sobbing Alpha Male (De Niro) feels stale towards the end, but I enjoyed Analyze This overall. It’s a consistently funny mob comedy, with Crystal and De Niro forming a memorable duo to produce 90% of the laughs here. It’s a story about the hotheaded mobster, with a soft side, his unlikely support system (Dr. Sobel), and their adventures together during a series of bizarre mishaps. Analyze This is a rare gem from the modern days of Robert De Niro’s career, and if you’re a fan of his career, Analyze This is worth a try.

Rating: 7/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Analyze This (1999)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Feared mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) needs a shoulder to lean on. Paul’s longtime best friend and advisor, Dominic Manetta (Joseph Rigano) is the victim of a drive by shooting. Paul suffers a series of uncontrollable panic attacks and breakdowns after Dominic’s death. Under Paul’s orders, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), Paul’s right hand man, forces a psychiatrist named Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) to accept Paul as his new patient after a fender-bender.

Dr. Sobel hits a few bumps in the road during Paul’s awkward and unplanned sessions. Meanwhile, Dr. Sobel is trying to balance a series of problems in his life. Ben’s trying to fix a strained relationship with his father, Dr. Isaac Sobel (Bill Macy), and his mother, Dorothy (Rebecca Schull), because Isaac chooses a book signing for his new release over Ben‘s wedding. On top of that, Ben’s anxious fiance Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow) is nervous about the wedding, and her relationship with Ben’s son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy).

Members of Paul’s mob family, including Salvatore Masiello (Pat Cooper), voice their concerns for Paul‘s image and his relationship with Dr. Sobel. Paul is still an emotional train wreck, but he’ll have to pull himself together for a once in a lifetime meeting with every mafia family in the US. Paul’s rival, Primo Sidone (Chazz Palminteri) organizes the meeting. Primo has plans to become the king of organized crime, and a bitter Primo is determined to murder Paul before the meeting.

Dr. Sobel tries to balance problems with his upcoming wedding, and Paul relives the tragic circumstances surrounding his father’s death. But FBI agents complicate Dr. Sobel’s relationship with Paul. The FBI convinces Dr. Sobel to wear a wire with a doctored tape recording, and to add to his growing list of problems, a traitor within Paul’s crew leaks Paul’s location to Primo Sidone during a special dinner one night……

Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal share good chemistry together, as the bickering odd couple. De Niro delivers an entertaining parody performance, as the tough and manly mobster. The routine feels tiresome towards the end, but De Niro’s “sobbing broken man” act is good for a few cheap laughs. Billy Crystal is a nice fit for the uptight and nerdy psychiatrist, and Crystal‘s random outbursts are hilarious. There’s a scene at the beginning with Ben and one of his patients. Ben is tired of Caroline’s (Molly Shannon) non-stop whining. In his mind, Ben imagines himself yelling at Caroline with no mercy to deliver a “tough love” approach.

Palminteri’s screen time is limited to sporadic appearances, but he’s believable as the slimy antagonist with a mean streak. Joe Viterelli provides consistent laughs, as the dedicated and pushy sidekick, and Lisa Kudrow is decent enough as the whiny and nagging fiance. And if you’re wondering, Molly Shannon  appears in the one scene with Crystal at the beginning, and that’s it. Seriously, what happened to Molly Shannon? Anyone remember Mary Katherine Gallagher (or “Superstar!”)?

Who’s the traitor in Paul‘s crew? It’s Carlo Mangano (Leo Rossi), and Carlo is the informant for Primo. Why? With Paul dead, Carlo is free to take over as boss with Primo’s support. But Paul has a breakthrough with Dr. Sobel after a misunderstanding one night. Long story short, Paul was seconds away from pulling the trigger to execute Ben, because Paul was convinced Ben helped the FBI with secret inside information. And Dr. Sobel agreed to wear a wire, because the FBI tampered with a recording of Paul’s voice. In the FBI’s version of the tape recording, Paul announces his plans to kill Ben for his betrayal. Unbeknownst  to Paul, Ben removed the FBI’s recording device at the restaurant.

Anyway, Dr. Sobel pushes Paul to reveal the truth (Paul lied about his father’s death to Ben) behind his father’s death. Apparently, Paul (as a child) noticed something strange (nice dress pants on a busboy/hitman) on the night of his father’s assassination. But Paul was angry at his father, so he never spoke up to warn him. Paul’s father was murdered, and Paul is upset, because he never had a chance to say good-bye.

At the meeting, Paul unceremoniously retires, and he reveals Carlo as the traitor. An enraged Primo (with Carlo’s help) confronts Paul outside. Paul tries to walk away, but Primo’s cowardly act (he tried to shoot Paul after he turned his back) sparks a big shoot out. The FBI intervenes to break up the mess, and Ben accidentally saves Paul’s life (Ben took a bullet in the chest for Paul). To end the movie, Ben visits Paul in jail, and Primo is dead after a successful assassination attempt.

It’s a safe finale, but there’s nothing wrong with that. In the end, Paul finds peace, with some jail time as a small price to pay, Primo’s demise is well deserved, and Paul pulled some strings for a personal and live performance from Tony Bennett (Ben is a big fan of Tony Bennett) for Dr. Sobel and Laura. Everyone goes home (with exception of Paul) with a happy handing, and Dr. Sobel returns to a more peaceful life.

The reoccurring routine to pull some laughs out of the audience with the irony of a sobbing Alpha Male (De Niro) feels stale towards the end, but I enjoyed Analyze This overall. It’s a consistently funny mob comedy, with Crystal and De Niro forming a memorable duo to produce 90% of the laughs here. It’s a story about the hotheaded mobster, with a soft side, his unlikely support system (Dr. Sobel), and their adventures together during a series of bizarre mishaps. Analyze This is a rare gem from the modern days of Robert De Niro’s career, and if you’re a fan of his career, Analyze This is worth a try.

Rating: 7/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

2014 Oscar Predictions

Tonight's the big night, and I have mixed feelings about Ellen DeGeneres hosting, but I'm glad it's not Billy Crystal....again. I'll stick to the big categories, because I didn't get a chance to see the foreign language nominees, the animated  film nominees, or the best short nominees. Also, I'll skip over screenplay awards this year, because this post will turn into one giant word fart, if I don't. And I'll try to post some reviews for the Best Picture nominees in the future. There's only so much time in one day! Let's get to it.


Best Picture
• "American Hustle"
• "Captain Phillips"
• "Dallas Buyers Club"
• "Gravity"
• "Her"
• "Nebraska"
• "Philomena"
• "12 Years a Slave"
• "The Wolf of Wall Street"

The winner could go either way this year, because there's no clear cut favorite. American Hustle is riding a massive (and undeserved) hype train, so a win wouldn't shock me. Personally, I loved the movie, but The Wolf Of Wall Street has no chance in hell. The Academy's going to see a raunchy film with too much gratuitous nudity, and they're too PC to hand over a Best Picture award to TWOWS.

Nebraska is a longshot, but I'm going with Her. It's a moving, sweet, and sentimental love story about a man (Joaquin Phoenix's Theodore) trying to find some peace and happiness in his life, and Her is loaded with underlying messages. The unnatural obsession and reliance for favoring technology over human relationships (i.e. think about the scene towards the end with Theodore panicking during Samantha's brief disappearance), facing the despondent reality of fulfilling all your hopes, goals, and dreams before you're time is up, and taking chances before it's too late.

Her is phenomenal, and an easy 10/10 pick, but 12 Years Of A Slave, Gravity, and other nominees provide some tough competition, and you have to overcome the love fest for American Hustle.

Best Director
• David O. Russell, "American Hustle"
• Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"
• Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"
• Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
• Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Alfonso Cuaron all the way.

Without a theater or an IMAX screen, Gravity loses some points in the "wow factor" department. Still, Gravity is a technical and suspenseful masterpiece, with the eerie and chilling backdrop of outer space. Steve McQueen is a close number two, with Scorsese as a real longshot at number three.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
• Christian Bale, "American Hustle"
• Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
• Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
• Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Robert Redford for All Is Lost is an obvious snub, and Christian Bale shouldn't be in here. Joaquin Phoenix is more deserving of a spot for Her. I'm not trying to bash Bale, because he's one of my favorite actors. But his performance in American Hustle doesn't fit into the top three for his career on my list (in no particular order, American Psycho, The Fighter, The Machinist), and it's not even close. On top of that, you can say Bale was upstaged by Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle, AND his performance in Out Of The Furnace last year was much better.

My money is on Matthew McConaughey. I'm a HUGE Leonardo DicCaprio fan, but McConaughey's performance is masterful. McConaughey's ability to make the transition from this hateful, homophobic, and stubborn redneck to the determined businessman with a chip on his shoulder, and a new found sense of motivation is remarkable.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
• Amy Adams, "American Hustle"
• Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
• Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"
• Judi Dench, "Philomena"
• Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"

It's a two horse race between Blanchett and Streep for me. Streep delivers another powerhouse performance in Osage County, but she's surrounded by a good supporting cast, so the extra support could hurt her chances tonight.

I'm going with Blanchett. Sally Hawkins is no scrub, and you can say the same thing about Alec Baldwin, but Blanchett is head and shoulders above everyone else with no real competition. On top of that, Blanchett is the MAIN reason why Blue Jasmine is a memorable romantic comedy. On the other hand, there's a good chance we'll all forget about August: Osage County this time next year, because you can make an argument for pure Oscar bait.

Although, you have to consider Sandra Bullock as a dark horse. Clooney disappears after a while, and Bullock carries everything in the leading role with no real help until the very end.

Best Supporting Actor
• Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"
• Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"
• Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"
• Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Jared Leto, "The Dallas Buyers Club"

Captain Phillips is a bit overrated in my book, but Abdi's performance is one of the major highlights in the movie. Still, I'm going with Michael Fassbender. He's genuinely evil, menacing, and despicable as Edwin Epps, and Fassbender's performance is capable of pulling legit feelings of anger out of you.

Jared Leto is a close second. The scene towards the end, where Rayon breaks into tears because he's afraid to "die" is a genuine heartbreaking moment, and Leto shared some excellent chemistry with Mconaughey.

Best Supporting Actress
• Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
• Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
• Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"
• Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"
• June Squibb, "Nebraska"

June Squibb is hilarious in Nebraska, and a Julia Roberts win wouldn't bother me too much, but it's antoher tight race between Lupita Nyong'o and Jennifer Lawrence. I have a strong feeling Lawrence will walk away with the gold here, but Nyong'o is my pick.

With more screen time and focus on her character, you can make an argument for Nyong'o delveinrg the best performance (think about the scene with Patsey pleading her case for the bar of soap towards the end) in 12 Years A Slave. Nyong'o is stand out star in 12 Years A Slave, and it's impressive feat, when you consider the overall quality of the cast (including Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Paul Dano).