89 - Zack and Miri Make A Porno

Connection To SUPERBAD - Seth Rogen

Do I think it was intentional that Kevin Smith or Miramax wouldn't think it would be the worst thing in the world if people confused it for having some sort of involvement from Judd Apatow?

I think so in my humble opinion, though we have some of Smith's regulars such as Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson and his wife Jennifer Schwalbach, we have slightly more with connections to Apatow - Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson and Gerry Bednob (who plays the same character he normally does for Apatow). So yeah that's why I think so.

And to be fair the stuff Apatow as normally done and the stuff Smith as normally do, they've never been a million miles away from each other, both can go gross but show heart at the same time, I just think Apatow (including his producing credits) as got a better oeuvre - I did used to hold Smith in higher esteem but I've think with time I've moved on from him slightly.

Rogen and Banks play platonic best friends since high school, who share an apartment and struggling to pay bills whilst working at coffee shop, some younglings take video of Banks in the back changing and reveals she's wearing granny panties this makes her a minor internet celeb, the pair attend their high school reunion where they get talking to Bobby Long (Brandon Routh) who Banks had a massive crush on, but it's revealed he is gay and they get talking with his boyfriend - played by Justin Long, who talks to them about the gay porn he stars in, the pair decide to cast and star in their own porn movie including friends and people they audition.

If you buy into the premise I think you'll enjoy the film more - predictably Zack and Miri are paired up in their sex scene which ends up being more tender then what porn scenes are usually like which predictably stirs the feelings that ends up causing the rift in their relationship.

I did groan (giggity) that they initially chose Star Wars as the film to do a porn parody of, mostly because that is the most predictable way they could have gone, but they end up having to rewrite it and doing it (giggity again) in the coffee shop after hours... shades of Smith's debut Clerks there.

The supporting cast is cool and as the film goes on you do get a sense of a family unit (giggity) building around them, the cast includes some porno stars past and present alongside the Smith and Apatow clan.

Overall, it's far from limp but it's honestly nothing that Apatow is doing (usually better), there's funny stuff and it's engaging so to me it is worth your time.

11 - Veronica Mars

Connection To WAITING - Justin Long

To start thing off I'm a massive fan of the Veronica Mars TV series, I have watched the series multiple times and still holds my interest even after knowing who committed what crimes. Do you want to know what's on my far living room wall - A Veronica Mars poster, the autographs of Kristen Bell and Amanda Seyfried next to it, and Harry Hamlin the other side, so yeah I just wanted to say it wasn't an understatement.

Sadly at the time Veronica Mars just wasn't getting enough viewers and ended after only 3 seasons and for me it was just filed with many other TV series has gone too soon. Last year though - Rob Thomas, the series creator, Bell and other co-stars launched a Kickstarter, attempting to raise $2 million in a month, it quickly did that amount and ended making over $5 million. I think the money they wanted to raise was also a sign to see if anybody would actually be interested in it - the answer was of course yes... I've read some negativity about this on IMDB boards (I know I should have just stayed away), I think there's all sorts of reasons for the negativity one to me is why not there favourite show - maybe one day soon it will happen for them - VM fans just put there money where there mouth was.

Veronica Mars coming back even after watching the movie still feels like a dream, I just never believed I would see these characters again - the sequel books, yes I could see but the characters living and breathing again by the actors who played I would have thought was out of the realm of possibility for a little watched but loved show.

The film picks up 9 years after the third season and Veronica has left the P.I. business and Neptune behind and is getting interviewed by a prestigious law firm and is in a relationship with season 3 regular Piz (Chris Lowell), who I believe it says they didn't stay together but have got back together in the years since, but she is contacted by her smoldering ex Logan (Jason Dohring), who is accused of murdering his girlfriend Carrie Bishop (who was a character in an episode of the show but was played by Leighton Meester, now she's played by Andrea Estella) and he is being bombarded with offers from offers from lawyers and she agrees to return to Neptune to help him choose the right one - I won't spoil anymore really but this is the crux of what gets her to Neptune.

As a long-term and big fan of the show I LOVED THIS - what I am writing is going to be based on that all warm and glowing feeling the film gave me, I was shouting the characters name at the screen such as GIA (Krysten Ritter who is one of my crushes behind KB) and SACKS where too names I said when they would come on and it only felt a few characters where missing (Jackie, Backup etc.) and those such as Van Clemons may have been short and sweet but they got their moments at least though some would have been welcome to stay around a bit longer.

The central mystery is decent which considering they only had 100 minutes rather then  a season still felt satisfying. There was also a bunch of welcome new faces who were welcome additions such as Gaby Hoffmann and even a surprise cameo of an actor as themselves.

There was one sole negative for this movie for me - Dax Shepherd - Kristen's real life beau, I'm not blaming him here but he is a cameo has a skeezy night club guy who dances to try and seduce Veronica and she pulls a face of disgust. I thought the joke was too obvious and knew it was coming the moment I saw him, VM is better then that but luckily it's what a 30 second scene in the entire movie.

Some other points of the movie I would just like to say - Tina Majorino as Mac looked even prettier then she ever did in the series (she was still pretty in the series) and KB though you got argue was still with the baby weight (bigger boobs then normal etc). she fit back in the role of Veronica perfectly and it's like she never went away.

Overall a magical movie for me, I was literally smiling throughout I was so pleased to be seeing this, who knows maybe a second viewing might change some opinion but I am staying with this for now . I AM A MARSHMALLOW

10 - Waiting

Connection To WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? - Anna Faris

Waiting is the sort of film that just passed me by, not completely unnoticed I was aware of it's existence on it's original release but considering it came out at one of my peak times for buying DVD, it's sort of surprising that I'd never seen it, not even caught it on TV because it's totally the film I'd put on to entertain myself for an hour and a half - also Anna Faris who I find adorable is also in this (though I'm not over-enthused about her current sit-com Mom what I've tried to get into)

It's fair to say this movie is a little bit uneven but sometimes is pretty funny and sometimes very funny - I enjoyed most of the characters particular Alanna Ubach's Naomi (pictured at the top) - on the subject of Ubach, I don't think I've ever give her enough credit she is often good value for money in the stuff I've seen her in - and Chi McBride as Bishop, are the two actors that deserve most mention.

I didn't have a problem with the rest of the cast, all of them often entertaining - Ryan Reynolds playing is typical persona is not a problem for me and Justin Long is likeable in his role. Faris though doesn't have quite enough to do for me liking.

The film is pretty plot-less and closer to just trying to show a particular day at this restaurant, some of it what you expect - doing stuff to a snotty customers food, bad tippers etc. - but the characters feel like they all know each other before the film as started if that makes sense - the familiarity is already there between everyone.

My biggest critiscm here really is there is a bit of homophobia it seems going through the movie - the word Fag used in a degotary term more then once, 2 gays customers who are on screen seconds are just as camp as can be and the lesbian who works there as the sole plot of getting a straight female customer (who's going through relationship) drunk. I can overlook this but it's a negative for me against the movie, and for the fag comments I guess that's the way people talk in certain places.

Overall, a funny and likable film most of the time, while it's more a series of little vignettes with the characters it works as a whole, I would happily watch it again sometime down the line.