Rowan Atkinson

For those of you who have never heard of Rowan Atkinson, I apologize. You’ve truly been missing out.

The first thing I ever saw of Rowan Atkinson’s work was “Mr. Bean”, and I instantly loved the set-up. The show is largely sit-com-like, based on confrontation or misadventures Atkinson’s character, Mr. Bean, stumbles across. The character is almost entirely played through physical comedy, and some sketches include perhaps one line, coming from the character opposite Mr. Bean. When I first started watching this show, I was amazed how much Atkinson could portray in simple movements. I would certainly say that the sketches are fairly ridiculous, but they never cease to amaze me. Atkinson went on to make two feature length films out of his character, the latter being fairly recent. However, I would suggest if you’re looking to see the best of Mr. Bean to watch the original TV series, or the first movie. I wasn’t to keen on the second.

As much as I love Mr. Bean, I’m equally impressed by Atkinson’s work in more conventional comedies. “The Black Adder” was a British comedy series that ran through most of 80s, based around Atkinson’s pretentious, often obnoxious character, Edmund Blackadder. Naturally, Atkinson is absolutely hilarious, but I have to say this is one of the best sit-coms you can watch if you’re interested in good, classic, comedic writing. It’s just straight up funny. A fun fact, Hugh Laurie appeared in a handful of “Black Adder” series as an idiotic King George the IV to whom Atkinson’s character is a butler.

If this hasn’t sold you on Atkinson so far, I’m sure this will get you. Anyone remember the movie “Rat Race”? If so, you’ll remember Atkinson as the narcoleptic foreign man that nearly won the entire game. This movie is a classic my book, and it never fails to crack me up no matter how many times I watch.

Finally, if you’re already a fan of Atkinson and want to see more, I would suggest watching “Johnny English”. It’s a kind of farcical take on James Bond films. I would also suggest “Keeping Mum”. In this one, Atkinson’s plays a far more dramatic role, and I think he manages to do a fantastic job. 

Frost/Nixon

                  Today, I kind of want to step away from writing about a specific actor, and mainly talk about one of my favorite movies that I’d willing to bet you’ve never seen.

“Frost/Nixon”

                  This movie is based on the series of interviews Richard Nixon took part in, conducted by David Frost, after he left office. The movie outlines how Frost aims to produce the interviews, and make them interesting to the American audience. The interviews end in Nixon admitting that had in fact been unethical while in office.

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                  The plots extremely basic, but the acting is particularly incredible. The movie stars Frank Langella as Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost. I particularly captured by Langella’s work as Nixon. He seemed to capture how utterly repulsive Nixon could be on camera, while maintaining the President’s political wit.  I found myself amazed by how endearing I would find Nixon, and almost feeling bad that he was nearly hated by most of the nation. Langella was able to create the sort “humanness” around Nixon, that few would consider to be possible.

                  Naturally, all I’ve ever really known about Nixon is what we’ve learned in school, so mainly the Watergate Scandal… and only Watergate. We don’t really understand him to be anymore than that guy that “wasn’t a crook”. If you’re like me, you likely wrote him off as some republican president that was just a slime ball.

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                  Perhaps my preconceived notion made Langella’s Nixon all the more surprising and fascinating, but I think most would agree that, regardless, it was a very interesting way to paint him. Of course, when the interviews became serious and Nixon admitted that he had lied, Langella shows a particularly nasty, self-absorbed shade of the President that likely existed right along with his more endearing side.

                  The most brilliant part of this movie and Langella’s performance is certainly the mixture of kindness and ugliness in Nixon’s character. He was no simply the villain, but he was also the victim of his own devices. By the end of the movie, your heart really goes out to Nixon, as much of a bastard as he seemed, because he is broken. He’s broken, and he’s entirely conscious of his downfall.

Seth Rogen

This past weekend, “Zach and Miri Make a Porno” was on channel 14, and I was reminded of my undying love for Seth Rogen. I can’t help but admit that every time Seth Rogen is in a movie, I feel like he’s just some variation of himself. I have a sneaking suspicion that at some point Seth was actually living in Monroeville, he and his roommate were super broke, and they actually decided to make some coffee shop porn, but then accidently fell in love…?*

*plot of movie, probably not actually an even in Rogen’s life. Maybe check IMDB….

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Anyway, to reiterate that nonsense, this isn’t an entry meant to brag on Rogen’s acting chops, but rather to gush about my personal, off-color preferences.

One of Rogen’s first jobs was in Judd Apatow’s show “Freaks and Geeks”. The show only ran for one season, but if you ever get the chance, check it out.  It also stars James Franco and Jason Segel as losers in high school. It’s a little odd, but if you’re a fan of  any of the three it’s fun to watch. The best way to describe it is as a darker version of “That 70s Show”.

One of my favorite fun facts about Rogen is that he actually wrote “Superbad”. Oh, and by wrote it, I mean he started writing it when he was 13 with his friend Evan Goldberg. And you though Canadians were nothing but kind and polite. Guess again. I don’t know if this turns you off of liking “Superbad”, or like me, it makes you love it even more.

All in all, I’ll see anything Seth Rogen’s in because he just cracks me up. Full disclosure, I even saw “Observe and Report” and laughed. Not a lot, but it did happen.  I’ve officially lost all credibility. 

Jon Hamm

Recently I’ve been on a kick of watching “Mad Men” starring Jon Hamm. I have to admit, when I started watching Mad Men, I really didn’t have any idea what it was about. I think I really started watching to because so many people love it, and I’m mildly obsessed with the sixties.

The show is ultimately based around Jon Hamm’s character, Don Draper’s life. He works as a creative director in an advertising firm. It seems like a fairly simple almost boring premise, but it delves into Draper’s past, and how his past is greatly affecting his present. I know what you’re thinking, this is the most vague synopsis ever, but I would have to ruin anything for those of you that may be new fans or plan on watching. All I can say, is that you’ll definitely be HIGHLY invested in the plot if you do start watching.

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But now back to Mr. Hamm. As I’ve been watching this series, time and time again I’ve been pleasantly surprised by his performance. Hamm’s character is relatively stoic   and hard in nature, but Hamm is able to so magnificently let Draper’s emotions shine through when appropriate. I think most would agree that it is absolutely boring to watch a character that is not dynamic, and Don Draper is certainly is quite dynamic.

I think it’s also interesting to notice, in reading up on Jon Hamm, that outside of “Mad Men” he has mainly worked in comedic roles. I’m sure many of you would remember him from “Bridesmaids”. I think it speaks to his acting abilities that he can work wonderfully in a dramatic role and switch seamlessly into comedy in other roles.

I don’t know if any of you have ever seen these shorts form funnyordie.com, but they’re absolutely hilarious. Here’s Jon Hamm in Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis.

Helena Bonham Carter

            I suppose I like Helena Bonham Carter mainly because she’s bizarre. Like most respectable actresses, she’s rarely in a tabloid, and you rarely hear of her personal life.  She maintains a sort of mysterious quality that really makes her a chameleon of an actress. 

            I’m sure you would recognize her as playing Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter movies, and maybe the red queen in the most recently produced Alice in Wonderland. On the whole, I think she picks incredibly interesting characters, and has a made a name for herself as a unique character actress.

            The first movie I ever saw with Carter that really made me take notice of her was in fact “Fight Club”. I’m sure you’ve either read the book, seen the movie, or at least are privy to the premise. Her character is quite dark and troubled, and I found her performance to been very striking.

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            Since seeing her in “Fight Club”, I’ve taken notice of which movies she’s been in, and have been impressed. She’s never really done a movie in which she plays a character that is “normal” or not put under unusual of fantastical circumstances. I think this really separates her from other actresses that have all tried to do the “girl next door” romantic-comedy type role.

            I also appreciate her acting in that she has been in a number of movies of Shakespeare’s works. A lot of fantastic actors simply cannot do Shakespeare and contemporary. Most are exclusively dedicated to one or the other. I think this speaks volumes to her dynamic nature.

            Finally, I must say I was quite impressed with Carter’s recent role as Queen Elizabeth in “The King’s Speech”. For this role, Carter was nominated and received many awards. In this role, I think Carter portrayed a more realistic reserved character than that of Bellatrix Lestrange, and was quite impressive.

No, I didn't touch your drumset..

I can’t lie I love Will Ferrell. I think he’s absolutely hilarious. From SNL, to “The Other Guys” I just die laughing.

Ferrell made his big break on SNL, his impressions of Alex Trebek, James Lipton, Harry Caray, and of course President George W. Bush became iconic and regular skits on the show. Form SNL, he developed a regular skit into a movie, that movie of course being “Night at the Roxbury”. 

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            I find the manner in which Ferrell’s movies are written and produced to be highly interesting. If you think of movies like “Step Brothers”, “Anchorman”, or “Talladega Nights”, a great deal of the funniest scenes in these movies are largely improvised by Ferrell and his cast members. The script of course is written to give a general direction to the scene, but Ferrell and the other actors would shoot many variations of the same scene again and again all the while improvising new dialogue, and in my opinion, coming up with absolute comedic gold.

            This of course isn’t high-brow comedy that really comments on society or makes the viewer consider the truths of the universe, but there’s no way you’re not laughing. I don’t think the lack of depth or “meaning” discredits the work at all, mainly because people don’t realize that improvisation comedy is ridiculously hard. There are just some actors that can’t improvise at all, and are completely confined by a script. It take a unique kind of talent to take a written suggest and develop a uniquely hilarious scene, and more than likely eight other versions.

            If you’ve ever seen Will Ferrell in any interview or any late night show, you know that he has a natural comedic gift. No one is working to hard to write a script for him that “shows his talent”.

            I’m sure you can all think of actors you’ve exclusively seen in drama and have never made the cross over to comedy. Likely, this isn’t because comedy is a lesser form of entertainment with not as much worth, more than likely, it’s because they just aren’t funny. Comedy requires timing and incite as to how to structure the joke so it hits the audience in the best way possible. I mean, anyone can do straight drama. Maybe not to the level of Sean Penn or Christian Bale, but there’s no doubt that producers and directors could shape the scene around the actor and really make them look good. However, you can’t simply edit someone to be funny.

Tina Fey

Well, I guess I’m kind of breaking form this week and talking about someone I really wouldn’t consider an excellent actor, but a pretty inspiring person in entertainment. Tina Fey.

I’m currently reading her auto-biography, and the more I read the more fascinated I am by her writing. If any of you don’t know, Tina Fey really ‘made it’ by writing for Saturday Night Live, and only started becoming one of the regular cast members after years of writing. After years of writing and performing on SNL, Tina went on to write the movies “Mean Girls” and “Baby Mama” and produce the show “30 Rock” on NBC, which I’m obsessed with. 

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I can totally understand how someone may not like Tina or 30 Rock, because it’s certain brand of comedy, but I think it’s all pretty reflective of Fey’s life and work.  Regardless if the shows, movies, or writings she’s done, I personally believe Fey has done a lot of work to pave the way for other female driven comedy.

For instance, Amy Poehler, one of Fey’s cast member on SNL has gone on to star in, and I believe produce the show “Parks and Recreation” (also excellent.. ridiculously excellent). In many episodes Poehler has either written or directed the entire episode. Maya Rudolph, another SNL alum also stars in TV series.

I don’t think anyone in this day and age would argue that women don’t have a place in comedy, but I think Fey’s success, and widespread success has made major network producers more open to centering sit-coms around female characters. It actually kind of seems to be a trend as of late. I mean, it seems like “ Whitney” was a flop, but there’s also the “The New Girl” to consider. The past few seasons seem to center around leading-lady comedies.

I mean, you can hardly talk to anyone that hasn’t seen “Bridesmaids” and absolutely loved it. I was absolutely shocked when my guy friends told me that they were hanging out and just decided to see “Bridesmaids” and loved it. I’m sure that sounds a little sexist, but I had my own apprehensions about seeing this movie, mainly because I didn’t think it looked funny, and I’m not the biggest Kristen Wiig fan. To me, it seemed like a girl’s version of “The Hangover”. But, I ended of loving it just like everyone else.  The movie itself just seemed different. It wasn’t a bunch of girls trying to tell raunchy jokes and be on the level of “the guys” in comedy.

Maybe this is only encouraging to me, as a lover of comedy that has never found women-comics funny, but I think it could be viewed as significant. But really, I have never seen a woman-comedian that didn’t make me cringe, until I started seeing more and more of Fey’s work, and women like her.