The Proposal (2009)

Do you prefer Margaret or “Satan’s Mistress”?

— Grandma Annie

Back from my Juneteenth out of town engagement, and also being a huge Ryan Reynolds fan, The Proposal was next on my radar. Going into the movie, knowing that the premise would be ridiculous from the get-go. It’s a typical romantic comedy that worse than typical. It’s almost of parody of itself.

Sandra Bullock plays Margaret Tate, a “bitchy ice queen” NYC book publisher that is a cross between a spayed version of Miranda Priestley from The Devil Wears Prada, and Bullock’s character in the much maligned Crash. She rules the her publishing office with an iron fist? She is running her frazzled assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) ragged.

Margaret is called into Chairman Bergmen’s (Michael Nouri) office that say that her visa has expired and she has to be deported back to Canada. She decides that she and Andrew will get married in order to stay in the country and keep her powerful position in the company.

That’s the ridiculousness of the premise. Canada? Really? She doesn’t want to go back to Canada. What’s so bad about Canada? Shit. Being an natural born American citizen, I would go to Canada. Whatever.

Margaret is shocked that she has to go to Alaska to visit Andrew’s family in order to convince the immigration officer, Mr. Gilbertson (Denis O’Hare) that they are a “real deal” couple. Spare me, your feigned shock.

When the twosome arrive is Sitka, Alaska, all hell breaks loose. Margret finding out that Andrew family is welathy by small town standards.

The movie was so mind numbing. So dull. I didn’t care about the much talked about “running into each other nude” scene. The setup for that was preposterous. The scenes with Craig T. Nelson who plays the father and Ryan were excruciating to watch. Malin Ackerman’s character is named Gertrude. Let that marinate for a hot minute.

The typical ending did not make sense. Understanding Margret’s intentions to fall for Andrew were displayed, but there was not a moment that Andrew would fall for Margret. Not one instance. What a cop out.

The only laugh out loud moments were Betty White, who plays Grandma Annie and Oscar Nuñez who plays Ramone. That’s it.

Judgment: Another cookie cutter Hollywood rom-com that is not worth the price of admission.

Rating: **

Watchmen (2009)

I caught a 10:15 matinee of Watchmen. This is one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of 2009. After the hoopla with the Fox lawsuit over the rights, this movie was on the top of my radar. Why was this film in production limbo for over twenty years before Warner Bros had the balls to make the film?

I have to have major gripe before the movie started. I went to an AMC 30 to watch this movie. They were so many previews, that I was about to “Button out” when people had their cell phones out and little kids seeing this movie were screaming. Also, there were at least eight trailers, including Observe and Report, Public Enemies, Terminator Salvation, Up, Star Trek and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The audacity of Fox.

Background. I have never read the original source material prior to watching this movie. I think it was a good idea that I didn’t. I wouldn’t be as nit picky if I did.

The plot takes in an alternative U.S. in the year 1985 where Richard Nixon (Robert Wisden) is in his fifth term as president. The world is in a state of nuclear annihilation between the Soviets and the US. The movie chronicles the Minutemen, a vigilante group disguised as superheros from 1940 to 1985 where one of the original Minutemen was killed in the beginning sequence of the film.

The remnants to the governmental disbanded group have to rally together to solve the murder of the Comedian (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). (It’s not a spoiler. It happens at the beginning of the movie.) Rorschach (Jackie Earle Haley) tries to warn the others about their safety. He searches to some of the deepest, darkest parts of NYC to find answers.

He meets his old comrades like Nite Owl II (Patrick Wilson), Silk Spectre II (Malin Ackerman), Ozymandias (Matthew Goode) and Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup).

Rorschach tries to find out who wanted to kill the Comedian.

I have to say that I wasn’t disappointed with the movie. The action sequences were few and far between. I wish there was more. Rorschach can kick some ass. Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are not too bad either.

I have to say that the soundtrack of the movie, puzzled me. It was so jukebox. The women didn’t have much to do in this movie, except bend over. Wow. When I saw 300, Queen Gorgo was much more fleshed out then either of the Silk Spectres in this movie Ackerman and Carla Gugino. I really didn’t like Matthew Goode. Something was a little off with him.

I liked to way that they changed the ending. It was more believable to me than in the graphic novel that I heard.

Judgment: This movie is endless rewatchable, but felt lacking.

Rating: ****