Posts tagged Ryan Reynolds
Paper Man
Dec 5th
I found “Paper Man” in a metal bin at the back of Shopper’s Drug Mart. I hadn’t heard much of the 2009 flick, but remembered seeing stills of Ryan Reynolds in a superhero costume and horrible, bleached hair way back when. I decided to buy the DVD, on discount, at the store. It had a great cast, boasting the likes of Reynolds, Jeff Daniels, Emma Stone, Kieran Culkin and Lisa Kudrow; and, based on the DVD’s description, it had an interesting plot. Plus, it was cheap (bonus!)
The story follows Richard (Daniels), a writer who moves to a beach house to work on his next novel. His wife, Claire (Kudrow), is a doctor in the city who only visits Richard on weekends, which makes the writer quite isolated. To battle his loneliness, Richard still talks to his childhood imaginary friend, Captain Excellent (Reynolds); but eventually finds real friendship in a 17-year-old named Abby (Stone), who he hires as a weekly babysitter (despite having no children to watch.)
“Paper Man” is so excellent, I urge you to watch. It is creative, unique, surprising and boasts an amazingly talented cast. Despite the cast containing comedic talent, “Paper Man” is not really a comedy, which is probably why it wasn’t well-received with critics. It could pass as a dark comedy, but I would consider it more of a quirky drama. Regardless of genre, this indie film is a new favourite of mine.
Boomerang-ers: Post Grad and Adventureland
Jun 16th
As a third year journalism student, my heart goes a-flutter when a commercial for Post Grad fills my TV screen. There is something so exciting about graduating from university; the adventure, the possibilities and an unknown future awaits! I dream of buying my first suit, hitting the pavement in high-heels to interview an entertainment big shot. I can’t wait to save my pay cheques for my expenses and my future as opposed to the endless vacuum of tuition fees and books. Two more years to go, two more years to go, two more years to go…
Don’t get my wrong, I’m happy to not be the class of ’09. The recession woes have not helped this year’s graduates in securing a gig and therefore many must return home, tail between leg, and grab the first job that pays minimum wage. Having taken a year off to work full-time, I’m also happy to not be joining my high school buddies in being the class of ’10. Although job prospects are improving every year, I don’t think big shiny wages are in next year’s future. So that leaves me with the class of 2011. An odd number though it may be, I’m holding out hope for ’11 to bring peace and prosperity to everyone (myself included). Although the recession certainly will not bounce back by 2011, it should be lifting itself up by it’s bootstraps by then, and that’s good enough for me.
Unfortunately for my favourite Gilmore Girl, Alexis Bledel is an ’09-er and things are not looking good in her new film Post Grad. Bledel plays Ryden Malby, a girl who, like myself, believed that working your butt off in high school will secure you a spot in a good college, which will then secure you a good job. However, when her nemesis steals her dream post-grad job, Malby moves back home, tail between legs, to start the job hunt all over again. Of course, similar to the Dean-Jess delimma of Gilmore Girls, Bledel is caught between her friend Adam (Zach Gilford) and next-door neighbor David (Rodrigo Santoro). Bonus: Carol Burnett plays Ryden Malby’s grandmother. Post Grad was released on August 21 and I can’t wait to see this feel-good flick!
In the summer of 1987, James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) found himself disappointed with post-grad life in Adventureland. After his father gets demoted, Brennan cannot afford to join his friends on their trip to Europe. Not only that, but getting funds for grad school seems near impossible. With a useless undergraduate degree (take caution Liberal Arts students), Brennan finds himself under qualified for every job, every job that is except for Adventureland. Adventureland is a crappy, bankrupt amusement park led by a goofy man and wife team (Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig). Running the games at Adventureland all summer is a huge disappointment to Brennan, who had high hopes for his life-altering Europe trip, but when he meets Em Lewin (Kristen Stewart) having a life-altering summer at home seems just as exciting. Notable appearances include: Ryan Reynolds as Mike Connell and Martin Starr of Freaks and Geeks fame.
No one plans on being a boomerang-er*. Once you leave the nest, most people do not wish to move back home. The goal of graduating from a good school is to secure a good job and start your new and exciting life! But life doesn’t work like that. Sometimes what you’re “supposed” to do isn’t what actually happens, but the funny thing is, that’s okay. I certainly didn’t plan on taking a year off to work after high school, but I did, and it worked out for the best. That is the lesson in Adventureland, that sometimes when life doesn’t go as planned, it can work out for the best. So good luck ’09-ers, ’10-ers, ’11-ers, ’12-ers and all other graduating classes! May you secure your post-grad dreams… or at least have a fun summer scraping up money at home.
*boomerang-er: a person who lives at home then moves away from home only to return again, just like a boomerang.